


Secrets and Lies

by BabyBoomBoom0029



Series: On Your Side: The Chronicles of Danny and Linda Reagan [3]
Category: Blue Bloods (TV)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-11
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-02 13:26:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10219328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyBoomBoom0029/pseuds/BabyBoomBoom0029
Summary: When Danny Reagan's family is targeted, what lengths will the detective go to, in order to protect his wife and children?





	1. Chapter 1

Danny rolled over with the intention of pulling Linda closer to him but her side of the bed was empty. He listened over the monitor to figure out where she might be. He smiled hearing her softly reading to Grace. He looked at the time and winced. Four fifty-three wasn't a fun time for anyone. He softly got out of bed and poked his head in on his girls.

"Late night party without me?" He leaned against the door.

Linda looked up, "Jealous?"

"Of time with you two? Wish there was more than possible in a day." He admitted honestly, "Everything okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. She just doesn't seem to want to sleep. She woke up hungry but is fighting going back to sleep. She seems to be content to play." Linda rocked Grace back and forth. Grace looked over hearing her father's voice.

"Hi ladybug." Danny knelt down so he could be eye level with Grace, "How about you let your Mommy get some sleep and let Daddy take over? How does that sound?" He asked. Grace cooed and blew a spit bubble at him.

"Mommy thinks that's a great idea." Linda grinned, "Especially because Daddy is off tomorrow but Mommy has to go to work at eight." Danny gently took Grace from Linda's arms, holding her closely, "I'll be in as soon as I get her to sleep." He kissed his wife goodnight, "Alright ladybug. Let's see. What are you and Mommy reading? Goodnight Moon? We can find something better. How about this one?" He pulled a book called "We Belong Together" from her bookshelf. Nicky had seen it at the bookstore when shopping for a school book and thought it would be nice for Grace to have. The whole book was written for kids to explain how and why they were adopted. 

Linda crawled into bed. She lay under the warm covers listening to Danny read to their baby girl. She could hardly believe Grace was going to be six months old soon. She'd fit right into their family and Jack and Sean loved having a little sister. They were so gentle with her. Linda had caught Sean sleeping on the floor in Grace's room one night when Grace had gotten the sniffles. With her history of getting sick just after she was born, Linda didn't take any chances. She took her from the daycare at work to the pediatric ward to see if one of the doctors she was friendly with would look over Grace. Once it was determined it was just a simple case of the sniffles Linda felt silly for bringing her to the doctor. After all, she was a nurse. When she had told Danny he just laughed and told Grace he wasn't the only overprotective parent. That night Linda thought she heard something odd over the monitor and got up to investigate. It seemed Sean was concerned about his little sister. He pulled a sleeping bag and pillow into her room and was asleep on the floor next to the crib. His fingers sticking through the slats just enough so he was touching her while he slept. Linda didn't have the heart to wake him. So she carefully shut the door and left the big brother to keep an eye on his little sister. Jack had found out how many girls in his class were suddenly interested to find out he had a little sister. He made the whole family laugh out loud when he said his baby sister was a great wing-man at school events. All the girls loved her and if Jack was holding her, the girls would talk to him. Danny told him he can't use his sister to get dates but that it was a good try. Linda loved having a baby around the house. She was still continuing her therapy. Being able to just talk to someone and get another point of view had proved helpful to her over and over again. She and Danny were planning a long weekend away in a few months. They wanted to try and wait for Grace to sleep through the night before they left her with family to take care of her. It would be hard enough to juggle her around work schedules but Nicky had offered to stay home if they needed her to so she could watch Grace while other Reagan's were busy. Jack had offered too but Danny and Linda didn't like leaving Grace with Jack for too long alone. After all, he was a teenage boy. He could get pretty involved with his video games. His babysitting usually only lasted for a few hours while Danny and Linda went to dinner together or went out for a date night. Danny got teased at work constantly by Beaz. He walked into work with a smile on his face. New pictures adorned his desk at work. And there was the time she caught him dropping by work with Grace in his arms. He claimed he just came in to get some paperwork but begged her not to tell Linda, who found out anyway, that he had Grace at the prescient.

Linda was almost asleep when Danny crawled into bed beside her, "She's finally asleep. Two bottles and a diaper change later." He scooted next to his wife.

"You're such a good father." Linda said half asleep.

"I just love our kids." He pulled her close, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. Danny was about to start talking again but the quiet snores of his wife silenced him. He pulled the blanket up around them both and watched his wife sleep until he finally closed his eyes.

* * *

 The following day found Danny at the grocery store with Grace attempting to pick up a few things for dinner that night. Linda had left him a short list to pick up while she was at work that day. Danny pushed Grace in the shopping cart, "Okay Ladybug. Let's see if we can find these things for Mommy. She needs some pears. I think she's going to make something yummy." He talked to Grace who babbled back. Her new found talent in making spit bubbles entertaining her, "Yeah, what do you know. You just learnt how to eat off a spoon a week ago. When you  _can_ eat real food, you'll know how good Mommy's cooking is." He grinned.

A few aisles down he picked up some jars of baby food. As much as Linda wanted to make it from scratch, they found there just wasn't a lot of time. Sure they mashed up a lot and let Grace eat a bit here and there but the jars were just so much more convenient. Especially for Sunday dinners and daycare. Danny was currently looking for a pack of diapers when a woman walked up beside him.

"She's so cute. She looks just like you." She commented.

"Thank you." Danny nodded his head and continued to search for what he needed.

"It must be so hard." She placed her hand on his arm, "Raising a little girl all alone." The woman clearly wasn't interested in kids. She had high pumps, a short skirt and a low cut shirt. Danny didn't need to be a detective to realize what she was looking for.

"I imagine it is but I'm lucky to be married." He wiggled his ring finger trying to ignore the woman.

"And she can't even take care of the baby? Who takes care of you?" She moved her hand up his bicep, "You look like you have such a stressful job. Wouldn't it be nice to relive some of that stress."

Danny sighed. He turned towards the woman, "My job is stressful. I'm a detective with the NYPD." He flashed his badge, "Now, do you mind?" He pointed to the box of diapers he needed that she was standing in front of, "I'd like to get my shopping done and get home to my wife, whom I love very much." He felt like he blinked and the woman was quickly walking away down the aisle. Danny grabbed the box of diapers and put it under the cart, "Now don't you go tell your mother about that." He kissed Grace's cheek and continued to pick up the items on Linda's list. On their way home in the car his phone buzzed. Danny answered the call with his Bluetooth, "Hi honey. How are you....yes, I got the diapers...and the milk...she's napping...okay...I'll see you later...love you too." He hung up with Linda who had called just to check in with him while she had a short break.

* * *

 Once home Danny put Grace down for a nap and checked the mail. A long thin envelope stood out among the rest. It was addressed to no one in particular. Whoever sent the letter had hand delivered it into their mailbox. There was no postage, no name on the envelope. Just 'Reagan' on the front of it. Inside the letter was two pages long. Danny read the letter twice before getting concerned. It started out as some type of apology letter for leaving Grace outside the hospital when she was born. But as he continued the person asked to see her. They said they loved her. And they wanted their baby back. They thanked the Reagan's for what they called 'babysitting' and said they were ready for Grace. Danny had a bad feeling it was from her biological mother. But they had legally adopted her. When she abandoned Grace, she never spoke up. Even after the news ran her picture and it was in the paper. He worried what this person might do if they really thought some of the things that were in the letter. He didn't want to risk his family. He stuffed the letter in a plastic bag to send for evidence when he went to work the following day. Danny looked at the clock. Just a few hours until Linda got home. He'd wait and see what the lab sent back before worrying his wife. No need to get her upset before he had all the facts. He just hoped things would be okay in the meantime.

Just after four the front door opened, "I'm home!" Linda called. She walked into the living room where Jack and Sean were watching TV and Grace was sitting in her swing, "Hi guys." Linda kissed each of her three kids. She walked into the kitchen where Danny was standing at the sink. He looked lost in thought, "You okay?" She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his shoulder, "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothin'. I'm fine." Danny turned around, "How was your day?" He asked.

"Good. Not busy so I actually got to punch out on time." She smiled, "You sure you're alright?" She asked. Something just didn't sit right with her.

"I promise." Danny smiled. He didn't want to worry Linda over what could possibly be nothing. He figured he'd talk to her later about the mysterious letter he'd found in their mailbox.  It didn't sit well with him. Danny didn't want to say anything until he knew what was going on. Danny knew his wife though. She could always tell when something was bothering him.

"You smell like perfume." She frowned.

"Some floozy at the market thought I was fresh meat. But I only have eyes for you." He smiled and kissed his wife.

Linda smiled, "That's a good answer." She looked at the time, "Move over. I'll get dinner started." 

Danny complied with her order, "I'll go check on the kids." He said, "Grace will be hungry before dinner is ready anyway." He took the bottle he'd made earlier into the living room and took Grace out of her swing and held her gently, "C'mere ladybug." He sat on the couch, "You are so loved." He cuddled her. Danny hoped the letter wasn't a bad omen. They'd been through enough. The thought of losing their little girl wasn't one he wanted to think about. It wasn't one he wanted Linda to lose sleep over. He hoped the lab would be able to pull something from the letter he'd gotten. Or at least find out who sent it and how to keep them away from his family.

 


	2. Chapter 2

When Linda woke up that morning it was to Danny's voice through the baby monitor. She must not have heard Grace get up while she was sleeping. She smiled when she walked into the nursery and Danny was standing, holding Grace in nothing more than a diaper, searching through her dresser drawers.

"Want me to find something?" She asked.

Danny shook his head, "No. Just looking for something in particular." He replied, "I can get her ready this morning."

"You sure? You're not running late?" Linda asked looking at the time.

"Nah. I'm good." He smiled.

Linda kissed his cheek, "Okay. I'll go wake the boys." She said.

"Jack! Sean! Get up! You're going to be late for school!" Linda shook them both, "C'mon boys!" She said loudly waking them up.

Linda held Grace on her hip with the diaper bag and her lunch slung over her other shoulder. The warm sun shining high above as they walked into St. Vincent's. Grace was headed up to daycare for the day while Linda worked. She had a long shift today so Danny was supposed to stop by and pick Grace up when he got off work. Linda loved knowing Grace was in the same building as her. She could visit her on breaks and it made pick up and drop off that much easier on both her and Danny. 

"Okay Sweetie. You have fun playing today." She said as she signed Grace into the center. Linda dropped her diaper bag in Grace's cubby and took off the light sweater she wore. She smiled seeing her wearing one of her many police shirts, "So that's why Daddy got up early to get you all dressed for daycare." Linda kissed her baby's cheek. 

"Hi Grace! Do you want to come play? Look, Mr. Elephant wants to cuddle with you." One of the childcare workers walked over with open arms.

Grace reached for the elephant and babbled, "I need to remember to get one of those. She loves that thing." Linda handed her over.

"All the babies do and it does practically nothing but crinkle when you squeeze it. It must be the colors or shape or something." The girl said, "Are you wearing a Daddy shirt today?" She asked pointing to the letters NYPD on Grace's onesie. She laughed when Grace smiled wide, "I'll take that as a yes."

"I'm sure if Danny had his way she'd be followed by an armed escort wherever she goes." Linda joked, "He's going to pick her up but I'm not exactly sure when."

"That's fine, just don't forget to have him sign her out in the book." She said, "Grace, can you do bye-bye to Mommy? We're going to go play." She waived Grace's hand gently, "Bye-bye."

"Bye." Linda kissed Grace one last time before heading down to the ER. She didn't know today would send her life falling from it's perfect platform.

Once in the ER Linda picked up her first chart. A little boy and his mother. The mom had checked off all the symptoms of a classic ear infection. Linda walked over to the area they were waiting, "Hi. I'm Nurse Linda. I'm going to check Kyle's vitals and take a quick peek in his ears okay?" She smiled warmly. Linda carefully looked over the little boy. While looking in his ears to see if they were infected a loud commotion from the ambulance doors caught her attention.

"My baby! My baby! Please! Someone stole my baby!" A girl, who couldn't be older than nineteen or twenty, came bursting through. She ran in the middle of the room clutching her stomach, "My baby!" She screamed. 

Linda and a team of nurses and doctors rushed to her aid, "Can I get a gurney over here?!" Linda hollered. They worked with the traumatized woman to get her on a gurney and rushed to a private are where they could check her for injuries leaving the rest of the patients in the ER wondering what had just happened.

Linda stood by the girls side, "Where is your baby? Who has it?" She tried to get answers from the woman.

"I don't know! Someone took her! I have to find her!" She screamed.

"Okay. We'll find her. Okay. How old is she?" Linda asked.

"Six months." The girl started to calm down a little.

"Okay. Do you have a picture of her?" Linda knew the first few hours in any child abduction were critical.

The girl shook her head, "They took my phone. I don't have anything with me." She started to cry.

"Okay. That's alright. We'll get this sorted out." Linda tried to comfort her, "Are you hurt?" She asked seeing her colleagues not find any injuries on her.

"No. No. I just need my baby." The girl continued to cry.

"Okay. Can we get the police over here to talk to her?" Linda asked one of the other nurses. She walked to the corner of the room to talk to the doctor, "And someone call psych. She's got needle marks all over her arms." Linda whispered, "I'm not even sure there  _is_ a baby." Linda walked back to the girl to try and talk to her more. To see if this was an elaborate hallucination or a real kidnapping. Judging by the fresh needle marks and how fast the girls heart rate was, Linda felt bad but she was leaning more towards hallucination. Or at least not the full truth. She wouldn't know how wrong she was until it was too late.

* * *

 

Linda almost jumped out of her skin when she felt someone come up behind her, "What?!" She whipped around.

"You're okay. Just me." Danny said quickly, "I thought you heard me. "

Linda sighed heavily, "I was talking to myself."

"I've heard you only have to worry when you answer yourself." He smiled.

Linda kissed her husband, "Just stopping by or picking Grace up?" She asked.

"Picking up Grace. Boys are with Pop for now. I'll pick them up after I pick her up." He said, "Just wanted to see you and drop off some dinner." He handed her a take out bag, "Chicken parm."

"I have the best husband ever." She grinned, "Thanks babe."

"How's your day?" He put his arm around her waist.

Linda smiled, "Better now. A little crazy but it's the ER. Yours?"

"Slow." He frowned.

"Good." Linda felt Danny's hand grip her tighter as a woman screamed. Linda looked over at the woman who was yelling for her baby when she ran into the ER, "What now?" She grumbled.

"What's her story?" Danny asked as a few nurses rushed to her aid.

"Some druggie. Said she had a baby but doesn't have a picture or know her name or know where she is. I don't know. We called psych. Just waiting on them to come get her." Linda explained.

Danny looked over at the woman through the glass windows of her room. Something about her was familiar but he couldn't place it. He wondered if she'd been collared before.

"Like what you see?" Linda asked, "You're staring awfully hard."

"I've seen her before. Just trying to place the when and where." Danny said.

"She got a record?" Linda pulled out her chart.

"I don't know. Let me see that?" He took a look at the medical chart, "I'll run her name see if something pops up." Danny said hoping it would help.

"Thanks." Linda smiled, "Let's go see Grace. I want to kiss her goodnight before you take her home." 

The pair went up to the nursery to see Grace. Danny signed the log book to sign Grace out for the night, "Hi ladybug." He picked her up from the swing she was in, "How was your day? Were you a good girl?" He hugged her tight.

"Hi Detective." One of the childcare workers came over to him, "Grace had a good day. A little fussy around lunch time but she was okay after about a half hour. I think she might have a tooth coming in."

"Do you have a toothy?" Linda asked. She kissed the top of Grace's head. She had planned on spending a few minutes with Danny and Grace but her pager went off, "Mommy has to go back to work. You let Daddy sleep tonight." She kissed Grace again then Danny, "Kiss the boys for me. Love you all." She smiled.

"She thinks Daddy sleeps when she's not home." Danny grinned.

"Oh please. You're snoring loudly every time I have a late shift." Linda smiled.

"Call when you clock out." Danny half-asked.

"Of course." Linda kissed him again, "Try and get some sleep until then."

"Stay safe." Danny watched his wife walk out of the room and go back to work hoping for a better day tomorrow. The letter from yesterday had no prints on it. It was a dead end. He didn't know there would be a second one in their mailbox today waiting for him when he got home with three tired kids.


	3. Chapter 3

Linda had a long day. After Danny left she ate the dinner he had brought her but it was cut short when the woman had started causing more problems for everyone. It took over two hours to calm her down and more medication. Linda felt bad for her. Linda was pretty sure if the woman never even _had_ a baby. She didn't know quite what to think of the woman who screamed for a child she never had. She was stunned when psych let the woman go. They said she wasn't a danger to herself or others. So they cut her loose. She hoped the woman would seek help for her delusions. After she left the night had died down. However as she was half-way out the door ten college kids were brought in from a car crash, making her night longer than intended. She went home with a headache and wishing she could sleep the day away tomorrow.

Once home Linda carefully went around the house making sure it was locked up tight before she walked upstairs quietly. The house was quiet at five in the morning. She checked on the Jack and Sean first before checking on Grace. Linda fixed the blanket over Grace and just watched her for a few minutes before walking into her bedroom.

She sat on the bed watching Danny sleep. Linda smiled watching him turn over to face her, "I didn't mean to wake you." She said softly.

"You're late." Danny sat up a bit, "A lot late."

"And you said you don't sleep if I'm not home." She teased him, "I texted you and called you. I was headed out but we have a three car pile up full of college kids. So I was asked to stay until we were clear again."

"No. That text I got. I just thought you'd be home earlier." Danny said.

"I'm going to go shower. I'll just be a few minutes." She stood to put her earrings and necklace on the top of the dresser, "Kids good tonight?" Linda walked to the master bathroom, leaving the door open so she could still talk to Danny.

"Yeah. Sean's got a science project due for school. Said he has to get some supplies at the project that he doesn't have." Danny said.

Linda turned on the shower and stepped in, "How was Jack's presentation?" 

"He said it went well." Danny stepped in the shower behind his wife.

"You're supposed to be sleeping." She handed Danny the bottle of shampoo so he could watch her hair.

"Missed you." He took the shampoo and started to gently massage it into his wife's hair.

Linda sighed happily, "I was thinking, this Saturday, we should all go to the park after Jack's game. Maybe a picnic lunch or something?" She tipped her head back.

"I think that's a great idea." Danny kissed his wife's forehead, "I was thinking about a date night we are long over due for."

"Oh yeah?" She closed her eyes letting the stress of the day melt away. Danny stopped rinsing her hair and moved her hands to her hips, "You're not done. I've had a headache all day. This is helping. Go back to that."

Danny laughed, "Bossy."

"You just keep doing that." She grinned.

He went back to massaging her scalp, "Yes ma'am."

"So back to this date night. What were you thinking?" Linda wondered.

"I was thinking a weekend in the city. Just you, me, a hotel room, bottle of wine, breakfast in bed the next morning, no kids, no work." He suggested.

Linda leaned back against Danny's chest, "That sounds perfect." Danny turned the water off feeling the hot water start to cool, "We need to get that water heater fixed." Linda sighed. This was the third time in a week the hot water had run out too quickly for her liking.

Danny nodded, "I know." He handed her a towel, "I'll call someone to see when they can come check it out."

Linda stepped out of the shower and towel dried her hair, "I need you to also check the window in the baby's room. I can't get the lock to unlock so I can open it."

"I'll put it on my list." Danny smiled.

Linda pulled a night shirt over her head, "What's this?" She asked seeing a letter on Danny's nightstand.

"Nothin'." Danny quickly snatched it out of Linda's hands, "It's just some work stuff." He crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash beside their bed.

"Danny." Linda frowned.

"It's nothin'." He kissed her cheek, "C'mon. I'll rub your back."

Linda wasn't sure what to think about the paper Danny threw out. If it wasn't important why couldn't she read it? And if it was important why couldn't she read it? Linda climbed into bed beside Danny, "You sure everything is okay?" 

Danny kissed her slowly, "Yes."

"I know when you're lying." She frowned.

"I'm not lyin'. It's just work stuff." Danny sighed.

Linda thought hard for a moment, "Okay. You should probably get some sleep. You've got work in the morning." She rolled over turning her back to Danny. He scooted closer to his wife, "C'mon Danny. Not tonight. You've got to get up for work and I have kids to get to school in the morning." She shrugged him off.

Danny frowned, "Linda."

"Danny, you're lying and I know you are and there's something I either can't know or you won't tell me so...just leave me alone." She sighed in anger. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep hoping that tomorrow Danny would be in a better mood to talk and stop lying about whatever was on that paper.

* * *

 

A few days later and Linda was still pissed at Danny. Something was wrong and she couldn't pinpoint it. She tried to take her mind off it by going to get her nails done. It was a bright sunny Saturday afternoon. The same Saturday they had made plans to have a family picnic. But Danny said he had a case and took off as soon as Jack's game ended. Once he was gone Jack begged to go over his friends house to celebrate their win and Sean asked if he could go to one of his friends houses to hang out for the day. Leaving Linda with Grace for the day. When she called Erin to grumble about her brother, Nicky happened to be visiting her mom and offered to babysit so Erin and Linda could go get their nails done. Linda jumped on the offer for a free babysitter. She left Nicky the keys to the car in case she needed it while they were gone and headed off with her sister in law for a few hours at the salon.

"Why is it that every time something is bothering him he has to push away until he fixes it or realizes he can't fix it and he needs to tell me. Or I find out something is wrong because Frank calls and tells on him or I see I'm being followed by a radio car." Linda rolled her eyes, "I wish he'd just say something."

"You know Danny. He's never been good with feelings." Erin shrugged, "I'm sure everything is fine. If it was serious he'd tell you. I bet it's something benign that he has going on that he just doesn't want you to have to stress over too."

"I guess but it would be nice if he said, 'it's not a big deal' and then _acted_ like it wasn't a big deal. He's acting like it's something top secret but important." Linda explained.

"So read it." Erin said.

"Huh? He tossed it out." Linda reminded her. She looked over the colors for her nails, "What do you think of this one?" She held up a coral color.

"That would look good on you." Erin smiled, "If it's in the trash and it hasn't been taken to the curb just look for the letter. Read it and then you'll know if you have to confront him or if he's just being Danny and overprotective about nothing. Remember that time you swore he was lying to you and he was but it was an anniversary surprise?" Erin tried to jog Linda's memory.

"Yeah but that was a credit card receipt. Not a whole letter. Envelope too." Linda handed the polish to the woman cleaning her cuticles.

"So. Maybe it's a receipt of some kind. Who knows. Let Sean eat pizza for breakfast and have him fish it out of the trash." She laughed.

"If I offered pizza for breakfast he'd fish it out of the trash twice." Linda grinned, "Maybe I'm over thinking it." She said, "I don't know. I'ts been a long week. For both of us."

Erin turned towards Linda, "When's the last time you two went out together?" She asked.

"For longer than a few hours to grab some food?" Linda thought, "A while. Jack isn't really old enough to handle Sean and Grace for longer than three hours and that's if Grace is sleeping."

"Maybe you just need time together." Erin suggested.

"Tried that. He caught a case today. It was supposed to be a day to spend as a family." Linda said.

Erin sighed, "No work, no kids. Tell him to take a day off and be with you."

Linda smiled, "Danny and no work go together like oil and water."

"This is true." Erin nodded her head.

"Danny is faithful to two things. Our marriage and work." Linda grinned, "Now, when we're done here we should check out that dress shop that just opened in the mall. I heard they have a good sale and if I'm planning on forcing him to take a night off I think that gives me a reason to get myself a little something."

Erin laughed, "Okay but this can't be like the time you brought the shoes home."

Linda shook her head, "No, no, no. Not like that. He won't know about the dress and he can't get mad if it's on sale and I'll tell him I bought it to wear _for_ him so technically it qualifies as a present for him."

"Now if you word it like that and he gets upset then he looks like an idiot." Erin thought over Linda's words carefully.

"Right. So see. He can't get mad. It's a win-win." Linda laughed. The rest of the day went smoothly. They found something on sale for both of them and at Nicky's insistence that she was fine with Grace, Sean, and Jack for dinner, went out to a child free dinner at a bistro that Erin had been dying to try out.

When she got home, after thanking Nicky for watching the kids, making sure everyone was asleep or at least in bed she started a load of laundry. Danny was still at work and said he'd be home late, go to church but probably have to miss most of Sunday dinner. He'd caught a tough case and was running out of time to solve it. As she sorted the laundry she felt something he'd left in his pants pocket. She'd found countless items in pants, jackets, even shirt pockets, it was no surprise when Linda pulled out the black business card. It smelled of perfume. She couldn't place it but she knew she smelt it before. She put the card on top of the dryer and tossed his trousers in the wash. She started the load and took the card upstairs. She was never sure what was important and not important to a case so anything she found she put on his nightstand for him to take care of when he got home. She thought about what Erin had said about the trash. The letter was still there. Crumpled up under a few other papers. It wouldn't take much to take it out and read it. Danny must have forgotten about it the morning after their fight. There it sat. Almost as if it was taunting her. Linda couldn't help it. She pulled the paper out, smoothed out the crinkles and started to read, 

_'reagans_

_im writing you to say thankyou for taking care of my little girl. shes so big. i watch her everyday. i see you both with her. i see you feed her love her take care of her. it makes it hurt less to know she had you to help her along. and your sons are such good boys. they are so protective and sweet with her. im glad my baby has you in her life. i wanted you to no im sorry for leaving her the way i did. but i coulndt keep her then. i needed to work on myself. i needed to get better. but im better now. they let me out. i want my baby. i love her. i never stopped loving her. shes my blood. she belongs with her mother. i know yall are good people and youll do the rite thing. plz let me have my baby back. i promise. i can take care of her now. ive been watching you. i studied. i can do it now. i no what to do. i just want my baby. shes still mine. i never said you could have her. plus you have 2 kids already. its not fair to them to have another one.'_

The letter went on and on for a whole page, front and back but Linda couldn't read it anymore.  _This_ was what he was hiding from her? That he had a letter from Grace's birth mother?! Linda felt the room spin around her. Between the bad grammar and spelling Linda wasn't sure what to think. Was this a young girl or someone who was unstable or someone uneducated? None of the options presented themselves as a safe one. The first thing she did was check on Grace. She knew she had just left her room but she needed to make sure Grace was okay. Then she checked in on Sean and Jack. 

"Mom. What's wrong?" Jack asked when his door flew open.

Linda was surprised to see him awake still, "Nothing. Thought I heard a noise. Sorry. What are you doing up still?" She asked.

"Reading. I couldn't fall asleep so I thought I'd read for a little bit." He said, "You don't look so good. Do I need to call Dad?" Jack was worried about how pale his mom looked.

"I'm okay. Just tired. Don't stay up too late." She said, "Love you."

"Love you too." He said going back to his book.

Linda ran down the stairs being sure to check every lock on every door and window. She called Danny's cell phone but it went straight to voicemail. After five phone calls to his cell, three to his hard line at his desk, six text messages she decided to call Maria. If they were out working a case he'd always send her a text back saying he was busy. The last time he didn't answer her call at all was when he was injured. Danny always picked up his phone. And if he couldn't talk he'd text her something. Sometimes just 'busy' would be all she'd get but it was enough to know he was okay other times if she called him and couldn't get through she'd get a phone call from Maria or someone at the precinct calling her back to tell her he was in the interrogation room or out looking for a perp but there was always a response. Linda waited for Maria to pick up the phone.

"Maria. Hi. Are you with Danny?" She asked.

"No." Beaz said over the phone, "Everything okay?"

"Is he busy with a perp or something?" Linda wondered.

"We're not working a case." Beaz said, "Unless he caught something and I haven't gotten a phone call yet. Why?"

Linda started to worry even more, "He said you two were working a tough case." She tried to remember the details he'd told her, "He said you two had to talk to a suspect. If he's not with you, do you have any idea where he is? He's not answering his phone. At all. And I've called him I don't know how many times."

"Are you and the kids okay?" Beaz asked.

"Kind-of, yeah, mostly. Can you..uh...if you hear from him, have him call me?" Linda asked concerned for her husband.

"I'll see what I can find. Do you want me to send a radio car over?" She heard Linda's voice sound scared and wasn't sure if it was for her and the kids or Danny.

"Can you see if someone can just drive by? It's dumb. I thought I heard a noise but it could have been one of the kids but it's late."

"I'll let you know which officers are in the area and headed over. I'll tell them to check out the back yard too. Is the house locked up?" Beaz wanted to make sure Linda and the kids were alright. Especially since Danny wasn't around at the moment.

"Yeah. Locked up tight and all three kids accounted for." Linda sighed, "Thanks Maria."

"Anytime. I'll let you know as soon as I do what's going on." She said, "Call me back if you need anything."

"Will do." Linda hung up. She felt slightly better knowing there would be two officers double checking around the house but if that was sent by Grace's birth mom Linda doubted she'd be near the house at night. She barely slept a wink that night. After the two officers Beaz sent over checked the yard, and around the house the told Linda they'd sit outside until Danny got home or Beaz relieved them of their post. Even with two armed officers ready for anything outside she couldn't sleep. No one knew where Danny was and he clearly lied about working. When he came slipping into bed at two am Linda's eyes were red with tears. First she was scared and concerned. Now she was just angry. Maria had called and said she found Danny 'chasing a lead' for a case he was working alone. Linda heard Danny come home, and shower but she could still smell the perfume and cigarette smell from his clothes. 

"You scared me to death." She said refusing to face him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear my cell phone go off." Danny sighed. He knew he was in big trouble. As soon as he walked outside he saw the missed calls, texts and alerts on his phone. Terrified that something happened he called Linda right away only to hear cry, then yell at him.

"Because you were working with Beaz?" She asked.

"I was working it solo." Danny said honestly. He had gotten a partial print on the one of the letters and was chasing the lead. He didn't tell Linda exactly what he was doing because he still hadn't told her about the letters.

"So you lied." She stated, "When you said you and Beaz were working on a case, you lied."

"Linda." Danny sighed, "Let's not do this now." He didn't want to fight with her again. Not when he was trying to make sure their baby girl was safe.

Linda shook her head. They were going to hash this out now or they'd bury it under the rug and never get to it, "Where were you? Because if it was that loud you didn't hear your phone, your clothes smell of cigarettes, perfume and alcohol. I'm going to assume it was a bar or club of some kind. I might not be a detective, but I'm not stupid Danny." She frowned. Linda sat up to pick up the letter she'd pulled from the trash can, "Why didn't you tell me about this?" She turned to face him, "And when I called this number trying to see who it was and if it would help find you I found out it's for an escort service. One that caters to married men." Linda held up the business card she found, "So where do you want to start? The fact that you're possibly cheating or the fact that Grace's birth mother contacted us with this insane letter?" Linda watched Danny's eyes get wide.

"Linda. I'd never cheat on you. I love you." Danny started. 

Linda didn't believe him. She held up the card again, "Then why when I called this number did some woman called Kiki answer with 'hello detective Reagan.' then asked if you wanted  to see her two nights in a row. So when you worked late last night it was with Kiki and not Beaz? New partner I don't know about?"

"Linda. Please listen to me." Danny saw how everything looked. But he also knew what Linda didn't know. He needed to make her see everything he knew. He'd never cheat on Linda. Not in a million years. Yet here she was accusing him of such a thing.

"You know what? I think I'm done listening. Tonight I'm done listening to the lies. I'm worrying something happened to you, scared out of my mind that someone is watching our family and wants to take our little girl, so frightened that I get a car to sit on the house till you come home. But you're out with a woman, at a bar." She shook her head.

"That's not how it is." Danny said.

"That's how it looks. And if there's one thing I've learned is that sometimes things may not be the same as how they look but more often than not they are  _exactly_ the way they look." Linda wiped a tear away. she refused to cry right now, "You know what. Why don't you sleep on the couch tonight. I don't think I want to be near you right now."

"You don't understand." Danny frowned.

"Understand this." She held up the last piece she had that broke her. The one thing that upset her more than the phone calls and lies. She had been texted a picture of Danny in the supermarket about a week ago with Grace in the cart. A woman had her hand on his arm while they looked at baby diapers. The next picture she was sent was of Danny and the mystery woman kissing each other in front of a nightclub. The angle of both pictures only showed the woman from the back of her head but Danny's face was clear. Linda showed Danny the text that accompanied the picture, 'Just thought you should know the kind of man your husband is.' Linda looked at Danny, "So you're not just sleeping around at night. This is a whole thing for you. But to see her while shopping with Grace? That's low."

"That's not me. Or it's a fake photo so someone doctored it up! Please believe me!" Danny took her phone, "Who sent this to you?!" 

"Does it matter? Danny you lie to me about the letter, then lie about work. You never used to lie to me. Not about stuff like this. Never about big stuff. You've beat around something to minimize how much it would hurt or how scared I'd be but never an outright lie. So what do you expect me to think?" She asked.

"I expect you to trust me. I expect you to know that I'd never do that to you. I expect you to know that I'd never cheat on you. To know how much I love you. How much I love our family. Please Linda. I'm begging you. Believe me. This is all lies." Danny felt like his world just caught fire and he didn't know how to put it out.

"Lies. Like you've been spitting out left and right lately." Linda said.

"Linda, I love you." Danny tried to take her hand in his but was surprised when she pulled it back, "Please Linda. Let me explain."

"I don't think I'm ready to hear more lies from you Danny." Linda frowned.

Danny shook his head, "I swear to you I'm not lying. This picture is completely fake. This never happened. I swear."

"You know what I'll just sleep in Grace's room. She needs a bottle soon and I'm sure you've had a long night." Linda grabbed her pillow.

"Linda come back to bed. Please! We need to talk about this!" Danny called after her.

"No. You want to lie more." Linda was convinced. Between the picture, the escort service card, the smell on his clothes and hiding the letter she just didn't know what to think. She sat in the glider in Grace's room covered with a fleece blanket. Hopefully Sunday would bring clarity to the situation. Hopefully they'd work things out. She loved Danny. Immensely. But she didn't know what to think. Danny had always said go with your gut if the evidence makes sense. So she was. And all she came up with was a broken marriage and losing a child. She prayed she was wrong about everything. She knew Danny was trying to talk to her but she couldn't sit in that room. In that bed with him any more tonight. She needed a break from the heavy weight of the room, before she had a breakdown.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Linda didn't sleep at all. She couldn't get the images out of her head. The conflicting voices in her head wouldn't stop. She loved Danny. She was fairly sure he loved her. But how could he? How could he love her and cheat on her? The pictures, the letter, the texts, the blocked number it came from, Grace's birth mother contacting them. Nothing added up and it all wouldn't stop swirling in her head.

The following morning Linda woke up to see Danny sitting on the floor of Grace's bedroom near the door holding his phone in his hands and no Grace in her crib.

"Hey." Danny said softly.

"Where's Grace?" She asked.

Danny looked over at her, "With Dad and Pop. I called them this morning. Asked if they could take the boys and Grace to church, then home with them. I told them we weren't going today."

"So now you're making decisions for me too?" Linda frowned.

"No but I think we need to talk. And maybe try calmer than last night. I told Dad and Pop that we needed to talk about some things and needed to be with no kids around to do it." Danny explained. He'd kissed his kids goodbye in the morning and said they might be around for Sunday dinner but he wasn't sure. Danny knew he needed to talk to Linda and it couldn't wait.

"I don't think I'm ready to talk Danny." Linda started to get up to walk past him.

Danny put his phone down and looked up at his wife, "Eighteen years, nine months, two weeks, five days, fourteen hours, thirty-seven minutes." Danny said to her. Linda looked questioningly at him, "That's how long it's been since I put that ring on your finger and swore to love you for the rest of my life. That's how long it's been since the moment I said I do. Since I pledged to do whatever I could for the rest of my life to make you happy. To show you how much you mean to me. To cherish every second, every minute, every day, with you. That's how long it's been since I made sure the love of my life was the woman I spent the rest of my life with. That's how long I've had to show my love to you. Every second of every day I spend with you is a dream come true. And one I thought I'd never get. I love you Linda. I love you so much. You mean, _everything_ to me. So I'm begging you. Please, Linda. Let me talk." Danny's voice cracked as he spoke. He didn't get up from the floor. He didn't want to spook Linda or make her feel uncomfortable. But he needed to talk to her. He needed her to listen and hope she understood exactly how much she meant to him.

Linda sighed, "Okay." She crossed her arms and sat on the floor near Danny, "Talk." She wasn't sure she wanted to hear what he had to say but she didn't know what else to do.

Danny watched her carefully before asking, "Do you love me?" 

"Danny. You said you are the one that needed to talk. Not me." She shook her head.

"Linda. Please. Just answer the question." He pleaded, "Please?" Danny asked her. He needed to hear her answer before he could finish his talk.

"Yes. I love you." Linda replied.

"Do you trust me?" Danny calmly asked, "Last question. I promise. Please."

Linda shook her head, "I don't know anymore." She wiped a tear away, "I'm sorry. I just don't know what to think."

Danny nodded his head, "Then that's where I start." He said simply, "Baby, I swear to you, with everything inside me that I'll do anything I can to show you that you can trust me again. I promise." Danny looked over at her, "I don't know who doctored those photos and made them up. I don't know who is out to mess with me or you or us or our family. But I promise you, I'll find them. You, and our kids are the most important people in the world to me. And there isn't anything I'd do to jeopardize that. I love you Linda. I've loved you since we were kids. I'd never do anything to threaten our marriage. Ever. I'd never do anything that I thought would cause you an ounce of hurt."

"Then why all the lies lately?" She asked him, "Why lie about things?"

"I didn't want you to worry. I was thinking I was protecting you. And the kids." Danny said. He truly felt that by not telling her about the letters until he had more facts that he was keeping her from emotional stress and worry, "I'm sorry I lied. I'm sorry you were scared. I'm sorry for everything. But please Linda, you have to know, I never even looked at another woman. I never would. My eyes are for you. Always."

Linda knew in her heart his words were true. But her mind just couldn't wrap around the pictures. They clearly showed him with another woman, "I need you to prove it. Danny I love you. So much that it's killing me to even think about you with some other woman. And I know...that in...that my heart says you wouldn't stray...my mind just can't figure it out. Who would do something like that to mess with our family? Why? There's no reason for it so it leaves the only reason that it's true. And I don't want to believe that. So I need you to prove it." She repeated, "I need to  _know_ it's not true."

Danny shook his head, "Linda, I promise you."

"I know you say you promise. But faithfulness is also a promise Danny." She brought her knees up to her chest, "Honesty is a promise." Linda put her head on her knees to hide her tears.

"Baby, please don't cry." Danny moved in front of Linda. He slowly wrapped his arms around her making sure she had space and time to move him away before pulling her tightly against him.

Linda sighed as she felt Danny put his arms around her body. She shook as she cried. Her heart felt like it was breaking in half and she couldn't stop it. If he was cheating what would happen to them? To the kids? To Grace? And with that letter out there, her birth mother wanted her back? Who set the texts? How did they get the pictures? Linda didn't realize she had started to hyperventilate until Danny's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Breathe. Just breathe. It's okay. You're okay. Feel me and breathe." He soothed. Danny ran his hand up and down her back in slow circles, "Good. That's good." He praised as she started to even her breathing out, "You're safe. You're alright. Just breathe with me." Once Danny felt Linda calm down he pulled back just enough to look at her, "You okay?" He asked.

"That's just so much...." Linda shrugged, "I don't know."

"Okay. I'm going to fix this Linda. I'm going to do whatever it takes." Danny swore. 

Linda nodded her head hoping to God he was right, "Okay." She said.

* * *

Two days of non-stop work and Danny was no closer to finding out who sent the letters or the texts that he was the night of their big fight. Linda had slept beside him the last few nights but as far away from him as possible. She still didn't trust him. Not fully. She needed more time to think. She didn't call him at work as much or talk to him the whole car ride home from her shift at the hospital either. It was as if she was just trying to get by for now. Danny respected her need for distance but continually tried to show her he cared. He'd made her breakfast, packed her lunch for work, cleaned the house, did laundry, washed dishes. Everything he could think of short of buying her gifts. But he was almost that desperate. They barely spoke lately and in passing it was usually just about the kids.

Linda lay in bed night after night crying when Danny wasn't home. It hurt so much to think he'd ever look at another woman the way he looked at her. She didn't know where he was or what he was doing but she knew he wasn't with her.  She knew she couldn't' trust the words that came from his mouth no matter how hard she wanted to.

Danny was going on night three of minimal sleep and maximum work. They'd run Linda's phone records but couldn't pinpoint the location of the person that sent the texts. Three more letters had shown up at the house and still no prints. And on top of it, one letter had another picture of Danny. This time it looked like a photograph from a security camera. He was sitting at a bar and the woman from the other photos was sitting on his lap with her chest practically shoved in his face. Linda had been the one to open that letter. It churned her stomach to think he'd act like that. But the evidence was in the photos. She couldn't say they were fake with no proof. The only half-lead they had was that Grace's birth mom and the mystery texted were working together or the same person  how else would a photo show up in the mail?

Linda had talked to her therapist about it who told her to try and trust Danny. See what he comes up with. If Linda still loves him then that's worth fighting for. It's when she doesn't love him that it's time to let things go and stop fighting a losing battle. So Linda went home and even though Danny wasn't there still made him a plate for dinner. She still prayed for his safety. He was still, and always would be the father of their children. Even if things didn't work between the two of them she'd always want him to come home to his children safely.

Linda prayed. A lot. She talked to the Father at their church. She went to confession. She talked to God. Asking Him for guidance. To tell her what to do. But God doesn't work that way. You can't just ask for a map. You have to navigate through yourself but know He is beside you.

She sat on the edge of their bed looking at the clock. When he left this morning he said he'd be home by midnight. It was now almost one. An hour after he said he'd be home and in bed. And still no word. Linda frowned thinking he was with a girl. When she'd get the phone call in a few hours that pushed her through the looking glass to another world she never thought she'd see. The phone call in the middle of the night that would forever cement into her memory as one of the worst things she'd ever have to experience.

* * *

 

Danny was about to walk out of the precinct and head home. There were no more leads. No one to look for, to talk to. Just more loose ends he couldn't tie together. Whoever was screwing with them was good at covering their tracks. They tried to locate Grace's birth mother but it was a wash. The paper she used and letters she sent had no trace of her. No return address. Nothing on them to give any clue as to who she was. The case was going cold faster than Danny could think of ways to find her mother. Maybe she'd be able to at least provide Danny and Linda with reasons why she abandoned her baby and left her to die.

"We got something!" Beaz yelled. Danny turned to his partner, "Look what I have!" She waived a picture at him, "Look!" She pointed to a fuzzy line.

"What the hell is that supposed to be?" Danny growled. He was angry. Someone was screwing with him and they were winning. Danny Reagan didn't lose. Not when it was his family on the line. He was going to make sure he found the perp messing with him.

"That's a watermark." Beaz said, "The lab said all the photos have it. It's so small you have to blow the pixels up to see it. It proves the photos are fakes. Good fakes but still fakes." She handed Danny the whole envelope from her hands, "I thought this might simmer the fire until we figure out the rest." She said, "Go. Go show Linda and then get some sleep. We'll find the perp who did this. We'll get to the bottom of this." Beaz shooed Danny out of the 54th precinct hoping the hard work would pay off.

Danny got in his car and sighed. He finally had some good news for his wife. Now he just needed to get to her. He started the car and frowned when it didn't turn on the first time. He couldn't figure out why the engine didn't turn over. It was almost June. It wasn't cold outside and the battery wasn't showing it was dead. He groaned. This wasn't what he needed right now. He needed to get to Linda to show her the photos were fakes. He turned the key again and again until finally _**BOOM**_!!! The car exploded.


	5. Chapter 5

Danny woke up flat on his back on the pavement. Sirens blaring around him, lights flashing, people screaming. Smoke filled the air. Every part of his body hurt and his ears were ringing. He could barely hear the noise around him.

"Linda." He groaned. Danny tried to sit up but was held down by an EMT. He pushed harder, "I'm fine. Noting broken. I'm fine. I need to see my wife." He argued.

"Detective. You're car just blew up with you in it. You can't go anywhere right now." The EMT said keeping Danny firmly on the backboard he was on.

"My wife...."Danny started to say.

"Danny! You have to lay down." Beaz crouched beside him, "I got her. She's safe. The kids are safe."

"Linda." Danny said half out of consciousness.

Linda had woken up to her phone ringing, and someone banging on the door. She first answered her phone to see who was calling. Her heart dropped when she heard Danny's Sargent tell her there were officers at her door. She ran downstairs already in tears. The two officers were quickly joined by Jamie and Jenko who were working a call nearby when they heard the news over the radio. Jamie offered to take Linda to Danny while Jenko stayed with the kids who were fast asleep. Linda got her things and left with Jamie telling Jenko she'd call as soon as she knew something.

* * *

 

When Linda arrived at the parking lot of the precinct with Jamie she was sure this was it. A car bomb. That's how she lost her husband.  She always assumed he'd be shot in the line of duty. A bomb never crossed her mind. Jamie escorted her around the police tape. The car was still being put out. She frantically looked around for her husband.

When her eyes landed on him, her heart stopped, "Danny!" She yelled.

"You can't go over there right now." Jamie held her back.

"That's my husband!" She yelled at him.

"I know. I know. But you have to let the paramedics do their job." Jamie tried to explain.

"Linda." Danny groaned again. He'd heard her voice. He was sure of it.

"I'll get her. She's here." Beaz said, "Let her through!" She waived her hand at Jamie.

"Danny!" Linda ran as fast as she could to her husband's side.

"Linda." Danny whispered slowly fading to sleep.

Linda knelled by his head. Tears filled her eyes seeing him injured so severely, "Oh Danny. Lay still. They need to make sure you're okay." She carefully put her hand to his cheek.

"I'm okay. Don't cry." He tried to comfort his wife.

"You are no where near okay right now." Linda sniffled.

"I have to tell you something." Danny fought against the oxygen mask the EMT's tried to put on him.

"It can wait." Linda tried to put the mask back on him.

Danny grabbed her hand and held it down so she couldn't put the mask on him, "No. It can't." He insisted, "The photos. Fakes. I was going to show you." Danny started coughing hard. Linda's eyes went wide seeing blood trickle out the corner of his mouth, "I can prove it."

Linda nodded her head, "It's okay. I believe you. I trust you. You can show me later." She said, "But you need this on now." She gently urged him, "Please Danny let them help you." She could barely see through her tears. She wished they could go back in time and never have any of this happen to them.

Danny relented, "I love you." He said softly.

"I love you too." Linda placed a feather soft kiss to his forehead not wanting to hurt him any more and put the mask over his mouth and nose. Linda prayed that everything would be okay. She gently prodded Danny to talk to her. To stay awake. She was terrified that if he fell asleep, he'd never wake up.

* * *

 

A few hours later Linda paced around Danny's hospital room. Another argument brewing between the two.

"You can't just sign out and go." She sighed in exasperation.

"I can. I have to get this guy." Danny crossed his arms.

"Danny, you were just in a car bomb!" She sat on the edge of his bed. Danny started pulling at his IV's to take them out himself. If she wasn't going to let another nurse do it or do it herself, then he'd do it. "Stop Danny." Linda put her hands over his.

"I'm okay. Nothing broken. You heard the doc." He grimaced as he pulled the tube out of his arm.

"That doesn't mean okay. That means lucky. That means you still have to stay here till that concussion is better and you have smoke inhalation." She cleaned up his arm where he pulled the needle out. If he was going to refuse to stay she could at least make sure he didn't hurt himself.

Danny shook his head, "I have to find the perp that did this. And I can't do that from a bed."

Linda wiped the tears that fell "Danny you don't have to do everything."

"The most important thing is at stake here. Our marriage. You. The kids. That's what I need to protect. That's why I can't sit in this bed and let just anyone do that." Danny held his wife's hand, "I'll be okay. I just have to find this guy."

"Danny. You don't have to always be the guy who catches the bad guy." She tried to argue.

"When it comes to someone threatening my family. My wife. My children. Yes. I do." He stated softly.

Linda shook her head, "I can't lose you."

"You won't." Danny promised her.

Linda watched as Danny grabbed the spare clothes he'd been brought and changed. She frowned seeing the small cuts from the shrapnel of the car. Overall he'd needed twenty stitches. He was relatively okay. His worst injury being from the smoke. Linda was thankful to whatever angel had been with him in that car. For the rest of her life, she'd swear Joe had to have been there keeping Danny from dying. She saw Danny dust off his shield and put it on next to his gun.

Danny looked over at his wife. Her head was bent and she looked exhausted. He knew there was more to what she was letting on. Yes she was scared and upset but something else was underneath that, "Linda." He said softly. Her name rolling off his tongue in a plea for her to talk.

"How much does our family have to take? How much hurt, or loss, or pain? Haven't we done enough?" She asked, "We could have lost you tonight. I could have lost you. The kids...How am I supposed to raise three kids if you're not here? How am I supposed to keep going if I lose you?" She closed her eyes not wanting to imagine a world where she was a widow.

"You don't have to worry about that. I'm here. I'm right here." Danny said.

"But for how long? Because you could go out there and no one knows if you're coming back or not." She wiped her eyes, "Every day you walk out the front door. With that shield and gun on. And every day I wonder if that's going to be the day I get a phone call, or officers at the door, or the day I have to start making funeral arraignments. And I try to get through the day but it's always in the back of my mind. Where are you? Are you safe? Are you hurt? Then something like this happens and it's a damn miracle you're not killed. But what happens when that miracle isn't there anymore? What happens when you're not quick enough? What happens when someone kills you?" She took a deep shaky breath, "I don't know how I'd move on from that. How I'd handle being alone with the kids. How I'd get through." She said honestly.

Danny walked over to her, "I can't promise that it will never happen. But what I can promise is that every thing I do, I have you and the kids in mind first. I wear my vest, I take precautions, I have back up. I make sure that I'll come home to you. You, and our children are always my first priority no matter what." Danny said to her.

"Please be safe." She begged him. She couldn't handle it if something else happened. She picked imaginary lint off his suit jacket then fiddled with his tie, "Come home to me."

Danny sat beside her on the edge of the bed, "I'm going to find whoever did this. Whoever sent those fake photos to you. Who is sending the letter. Who Grace's birth mother is. I'm going to fix this Linda. I promise you. And I know that doesn't hold the same weight..." 

Linda cut him off, "It carries the weight of the word of the man I fell in love with." She put her head on his shoulder, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You were thinking something looked real and all the evidence pointed to it being real. You were thinking with your brain and being smart." Danny carded his hand's through her hair gently, "As a detectives wife you followed your gut to protect yourself. I'll never fault you for that."

Linda sadly nodded her head, "I love you." 

Danny held Linda in his arms. Both of them needing the closeness, "I love you so much." Danny kissed Linda sweetly, "I'll come home. I promise I'll come home from this. And I'll come home with answers." he held her tight, "For now maybe you and the kids should go to Dad's house. Or I can have a few cars sit on our house, around the block. I don't want to take any chances. They've already sent bomb sniffing dogs and a team to the house to look at your car and around the house. Just in case." He told her.

Linda nodded her head, "Okay." They stayed wrapped in each other for a few more moments before Danny signed himself out of the hospital against medical advice. He escorted Linda outside where Frank and his security team would take her home to her children while Danny hunted the person targeting his family.


	6. Chapter 6

Danny sat in the passenger side of the car while Beaz drove them around Manhattan. They'd finally gotten a hit. The person who made the bomb used a signature. Scratched on one of the metal components were the initials,  **HS**. Danny found out while they drove the same initials were embedded in a line of code used to text the pictures to Linda. As the team looked into the code more they found it had originated from a cell phone on the Upper East Side. They caught a break when the name Harrison Stanton popped up. Harrison Stanton was a prominent doctor who catered to house calls for the wealthy. However he had a nineteen year old daughter, Haily Stanton, who had a juvenile record for everything from possession to soliciting to petty larceny. He also had a twenty-five year old son, Harold Stanton, who by all accounts was following in his fathers footsteps. Harrison's name popped up when a couple radio officers were questioning anyone who carried disposable cell phones. Once they had an area they canvased the neighborhood. One of the local shop owners said they sold three of them a few weeks ago to Harrison Stanton. They didn't question why someone with as much money as he had would need disposable cell phones when they sold them. So that's where Danny and Beaz were headed. To find out why he had the phones and see if he or his children were involved in some way. 

* * *

 

Linda had packed up her and the kids, deciding staying with Frank and Henry was probably for the best for now. She sat at the kitchen table sipping a cup of tea. Outside was not only Frank's detail but officers in marked and unmarked cars, officers standing at posts around the perimeter of the house, and Frank and Henry both had their weapons on them while they were up. She knew she was safe. She knew her children were safe. What she didn't know was if her husband was safe.

Linda was pulled from her thoughts as Frank sat down, "Grace is almost asleep. Pop's telling her stories from back in the day so I'm sure that will put her out pretty soon." He said. Asking her what she was thinking or if she was okay would be a pointless question in Frank's mind. Even he was worried about his son. He knew Danny would leave no stone upturned when his family was in danger.

"Thank you." Linda's voice barely audible. She'd hardly spoken to anyone. She was terrified. She was filled with guilt that she was the reason Danny was in the car. She felt guilty for doubting him. Guilty for making him feel so desperate that he got in a car with a bomb stuck to it. Linda knew it was her fault. If she didn't doubt Danny he never would have been at work in the first place. She was the reason he was blown up. And now he was chasing down someone while he was injured.

"You don't have to thank me for doing my job. Not as PC but as a father, and grandfather. Linda, I love you just as much as I love Erin. I see no difference in you as my own child than I do Erin, Jamie, Joe or Danny." Frank said candidly, "And those kids, even Grace, are my grandchildren. There's no one in this world that can think of hurting them and not feel the weight of everything I have that I can throw at them. We have every officer available working on this. No one blows up a cop, Reagon or not, and gets away with it. This is now top priority for everyone." 

"I did it. If it wasn't for me he wouldn't have been in that car." Linda shrugged her shoulders, "This is just as much my fault as it is theirs."

"It's not your fault." Frank shook his head, "You didn't make the bomb, strap it to the car, then wait for him to get in it."

"But I doubted him." She said guiltily, "I'm the reason he was there."

"And if he wasn't going home he might have been home, with a car full of kids and you. So let's be thankful that you weren't in the car. That Jack, Sean and Grace weren't in the car. Be thankful that Danny survived. That he is able to walk away from it. And all you have to do is replace a car and things inside it." Frank said.

"I think Joe was there." Linda looked up at Frank, "I just don't know how he got out if there wasn't an angel beside him or Joe there to make sure Danny didn't get killed."

"He probably was. If Danny was in danger like that Joe would have been the first to try and help." Frank agreed.

Linda nodded her head, "What do I do about the guilt?"

"You take the responsibility for it. You recognize that you feel remorse. Know what you did and didn't do. You did doubt him. But you didn't put a bomb on the car or force him in it. You know what you had control over and what you didn't or what you were manipulated into. You were manipulated into thinking those photos were real. It took the best tech team I know almost three days to figure out they were fakes. There's no way you could have known that. You have no control over that bomb. You didn't know it was there. You had no control over when Danny got into his car. You don't need to feel guilt for things you didn't do or could control." Frank gently explained.

"Then why do I feel so bad?" She asked.

"Because your husband was hurt. Because you and he were arguing with each other. Because you love him. Because you're scared." Frank sipped his drink slowly.

"I'm terrified. I know the kids and I are safe right now. It's Danny I'm scared for." She admitted.

"Me too. He's a good cop. He has a good head on his shoulders. He won't do anything that he won't come home from. Stupid yes, but he'll come home." Frank smiled.

* * *

 

"Okay partner. We have to talk to this guy before you go in guns blazing." Beaz said parking on the street, "We don't even know if it's the right guy or not.

"Got it." Danny said getting out of the car. They walked up to the front door and knocked.

The woman who opened the door was a thin, Hispanic woman. She was in her maid uniform and looked a bit frazzled, "Can I help you?"

"We're looking for Harrison Stanton. Is he home?" Beaz asked.

"No. Mr. Stanton is not here." She quickly shook her head.

"Any idea where he is?" Danny asked.

"No. I have to go now. Peligro." She shut the door in their face.

Danny looked at his partner, "What's that about?" He frowned.

"Something's wrong. Peligro means danger in Spanish." She walked down the steps of the house. 

"What do you say we track the daughter?" Danny asked.

Beaz nodded her head, "But how?"

Danny pointed to the car in the driveway, "Let's see where that car's been." He grinned.

"Good idea." She pulled out her phone, "This is Detective Beaz I need you to run a plate. Gulf, seven, Alpha, India, three, five. We need to know where it's been the last forty-eight hours." 

Danny opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat. His chest felt like it was burning but he wasn't going to stop until he figured this out. That's when he saw her. The woman from the ER that night he stopped by to pick up Grace. That was the woman. He thought harder. It was the same woman from the grocery store when he was shopping. The woman got into her car and sped out of the driveway, "Beaz, let's go!" Danny hollered.

Beaz got behind the wheel and took off after the woman. They followed closely but carefully so they wouldn't be spotted. 

"What's she doing?" Danny asked as they pulled into his neighborhood. They parked a few houses away as they watched the woman carry a small package and set it on the front step of Danny and Linda's front door. The woman walked around to the back of the house, "This is Detective Reagan. I need back up to this location forthwith. Send ESU." He called over the radio, "Let's go."

"We should wait for backup." Beaz said.

Danny shook his head, "That's my house. She's trespassing." Danny said irritated that Beaz would suggest waiting, "This is probably the woman that tried to have me killed and is after my wife and kids. I'm not going to sit here and let her do whatever she wants."

"Okay but bust her on trespassing and that's all we got. We need more evidence to hook her for everything else." Beaz said.

Danny knew she was right, "Fine. But she breaches the house I'm going in with or without you."

Beaz nodded her head, "Copy that."

Danny sat in the car as he watched the woman walk around the house. She took pictures with her cell phone, then left a letter in the mailbox. Danny saw a patrol car pull to the side a block away.

"Back up is here." He got out of the car and crossed the street to his house, "Excuse me!" He yelled, "Can I help you?"

The woman looked up startled. She ran towards her car, "Stop! Police! Don't move!" Danny and Beaz drew their weapons.

The woman froze in her spot, "Don't move!" Beaz yelled when the woman reached into her pants pocket, "Show your hands!"

Danny took a step closer to her, "Show me your hands!" He yelled.

The woman complied and carefully pulled her hands out of her pocket holding a small photo in her hand, "I just want my baby! I wouldn't have to do this if you didn't take my baby! She's mine! I'm her mother! Give me my baby back and this will all stop! This will go away! But if you don't..." She threatened.

Danny grabbed her wrist and twisted her arms around her back to cuff her, "If I don't what? Give you the child you left for dead on a sidewalk? You going to blow me up again? Is that what's in the box? Another bomb?"

"She's my baby." The woman stated.

"No. She's not. You'll never see her and I swear to God if one hair on her head is hurt I'm holding you accountable." Danny felt his blood boil.

"Let's go. Get in the car." Beaz said to the woman, "Go talk to ESU. I got this." Beaz led the woman to a radio car to be Mirandized while Danny watched ESU run a full sweep of his house and see what was inside the package. He took the letter out of the mailbox to put it in an evidence bag. 

* * *

 

Once his house was clear and the bomb defused Danny was headed back to the precinct to talk to their suspect. They got her prints back quickly. She was Haily Stanton. 

Danny walked into the box with a file in his hands. Inside was every letter, every picture, every detail of the twisted things she'd done to his family.

"Haily Stanton. Nineteen years old, just got out of a little stint for petty larceny. Before that was five years in juvie off and on. You got quite the record here." Danny sat down across from her.

"I told you. Just give me my baby back. Then things go away. The letters, the calls, the texts, the photos." She stated.

Danny shook his head, "See, someone blew up my car, then you left a bomb in front of my house so really, none of this will ever go away. Attempted murder doesn't go away." He said.

"I ain't no murderer. I just want my baby." She said.

Danny looked over at her, "Why? If you want her now, why did you give her up in the first place?"

"I was going to jail. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Just like a puppy. You just loan it out for a while." She said nonchalantly.

"She's a baby. Not an animal. And she almost died." Beaz said.

"Not my problem then. Now no one will give her to me. I did what I was supposed to. I watched. I watched all the time and I can take care of her. I just want her back. She's my kid. I popped her out. Gimmie." She rolled her eyes, "Like isn't that the law? You have to give me my kid if I want her?"

"No actually the law states she's my daughter." Danny said feeling extremely protective of Grace.

"Well it's wrong because that's my blood in her. And I know what I'm doing now. I watched you with her. Look, I'm sorry I left but I was going to jail. And I couldn't' take her with me and the lady said I'd lose her anyway. So I left her to fend for herself. Now I'm out. I saw how you all are. I can do that till Ricco gets out." She let her boyfriend's name slip, "Plus I got thirty G's on a couple with way more money than you for her. Now I know that's the life I want for my baby. I don't want her with some broke ass cop and fugly bitch. And those boys are just going to want her when she grows up. So it's for the best really." She was convinced she was right.

"Money can't buy everything." Danny said.

"Say's you. Say's broke ass cops with nothing." She complained.

"So you couldn't get her, you decided to what? Try and split me and my wife up? Try to kill me?" Danny asked.

"Nah. I just tried to get that bitch of yours alone. She thinks you're a cheating bastard and she takes the baby away from you. Then I just have to cry and act crazy like I did at the hospital and I'll take her. 'Sides, you bitch ain't gonna put up no fight. She ain't got the balls." Haily rolled her eyes again, "But, I ain't know nothing about killing no cop."

"So the bomb you put on Detective Reagan's door step was that for?" Beaz asked.

"Present from my man. Told me to drop it off." She said, "I ain't gonna ask what in it. That's on him."

Just then the door opened and a high price defense lawyer stepped in, "I'd like a word with my client. _Alone_." He commanded.

""Of course you do." Danny muttered as he walked out the door effectively killing their interview.

"Now what? We got her on sending the messages and letters. Possibly on an attempted kidnapping charge but that's it." Beaz sighed, "We can try to find this Ricco guy but it's not like we have a lot to go on here."

"We need to find him. I need to make sure my family is safe." Danny needed to figure out the rest of the puzzle to figure out what part Ricco played in all this.


	7. Chapter 7

Danny and Beaz pulled up to strip club. That's where they traced a car registered to Ricco Mendez. According to Haily's brother that's her boyfriends name. He used the term boyfriend loosely. Turns out Ricco had a lot of 'girlfriends' as he called them. They all earned their spot beside him. Danny flashed his shield and walked into the club without incident.

He and Beaz walked up to the bar, "Looking for this guy here. You seen him around?" Danny asked the bartender.

The bartender was a tall, skinny woman with long lean legs accented by her tall sharp heels, "What's in it for me?" She leaned on the bar giving Danny full view of her chest.

"I don't ticket all your girls for prostitution. Now, you seen this guy?" He asked not in the mood for playing games.

"Yea. That's Ricco. Usually in the VIP room." She pointed to an area blocked off by black screens.

"Anyone with him tonight?" Beaz asked.

"Just his girls." She said before going back to tending the bar.

"Let's go check out the VIP room." Danny put Ricco's picture back in his jacket pocket.

He and his partner carefully walked over to the screened out room. They were about to walk around when they overheard shouting.

"You idiot! What part of get the baby don't you get? All you and that stupid woman were supposed to do was spook the wife into getting alone with the baby. Take the baby. Then sell the baby. Now you tried to kill a cop?! How stupid are you?!" A mans voice boomed.

"Yo, it didn't work. The bitch didn't buy it." A younger male voice said.

"Because it wasn't good enough. You said you needed visuals so I provided pictures. Very hard to come by pictures and you still couldn't do it! You couldn't do  _one_ thing right! Should have just killed that kid when it came out!" The older man growled, "Now look at the mess I have to clean up!"

"Aye, whaddyou wanna do 'bout it?" The other voice asked. Danny heard the two men moving around the room.

"You're going to fix your mistake. Now we take out the cop, and get the kid. I'm not letting that money go away because you don't know how to do your damn job." The man stormed out of the room right past Danny and Beaz.

Danny looked over at Beaz, "I'll follow him. You take our other friend."

"Copy." She said as they split up.

Danny followed the man down a few blocks to a diner where the man sat with a couple that was already sitting there. He stayed close but couldn't get close enough to hear the conversation. The couple looked happy, hopeful, excited. Not at all what Danny expected. He knew they had money by the way they were dressed. He wondered if this was the couple that Haily said she was going to give Grace to. He took a few pictures with his phone and sent them to TARU to see if they could identify the man. Judging by what Danny heard and how the man was dressed he guessed that was Haily's father, Harrison Stanton.

When the man's meeting with the couple was done Danny watched him get into a town car and head out of sight. With nothing to go on Danny had to let the man go. He took pictures of the plate and the driver hoping they'd help. He was about to call Beaz when she called him first.

"We have a problem." She said, "Ricco is gone. He gave me the slip a few blocks ago." She sounded sorry.

"Yeah. So's mine. Town car took him away." Danny said, "Let's head back to the precinct and see what we can put together." Danny was determined to keep his family safe. Even if it meant blowing a political hole open. A prominent doctor who is trying to kidnap and sell the granddaughter of the Police Commissioner. Danny knew the story would hit the news once word got out. For now all he could do was his best to find the people responsible.

* * *

Hours later the sun was back up and they were no further than before. Danny poured himself another cup of coffee. He needed it to keep going. He was in pain everywhere but popped a few more ibuprofen to hold it off for now. Danny sat at his desk. Happy pictures of his family scattered around. A small trinket Linda had bought him next to a photo of the two of them caught his eye. It was the shape of a police badge with the words ' _Protect and serve to the highest degree, just promise you'll always come home to me.'_ Danny ran his fingers over the words. She'd gotten it for him when he graduated the academy. It meant just as much then as it did now. Danny looked at the time. He picked up his phone and called his wife, knowing she'd be awake.

Linda had been half-asleep. Between nightmares, guilt, and fear she couldn't fall asleep. She wanted Danny. She wanted her husband by her side. To hold her and protect her. She wanted Danny home so she could be sure he was safe beside her. When her phone rang she answered it on the first ring, "Hello?" She said without looking at who was calling.

Danny smiled hearing her voice through the phone, "Did I wake you?"

Linda breathed a sigh of relief, "No. Not really. I can't sleep. Are you okay?" She settled back down under the covers.

"I'm at the precinct. Trying to figure this all out." He said, "I wanted to check in on you and the kids." Danny wished he could be home. But he couldn't let this case get away. Not with his family on the line.

"The kids are either sleeping or helping Henry with breakfast. I know Grace is up, I thought I heard Jack up a little bit ago and I think Sean might still be sleeping. I'm pretty sure Henry and Frank told them to let me sleep. No one came in when Grace woke up and Henry got to her before I did." Linda said, "Did you eat anything? How do you feel?"

"That's good. You should get some rest. I ate and I feel okay." Danny looked at the photo on his desk while he talked to her.

"I can't sleep." She repeated, "Any leads?" She asked.

"Why can't you sleep babe?" He asked her.

"You're avoiding my question." She sighed.

Danny smiled, "You're avoiding mine."

"I'm scared. I don't know what's going to happen and every horrible scenario is playing in my head and seeing you next to a burning car is running on a loop over and over. I know the kids and I are safe. I know you are going to be as safe as possible. But I'm scared Danny. This isn't a normal perp or a normal case. This is someone after our family. And the last time someone came after our family..." She sniffled.

"Hey, it's okay. It's going to be alright. I'm safe. You and the kids are safe. I'm going to come home to you when this is all done. I promise." Danny felt horrible that he couldn't hold his wife while she cried, "That's why I'm working so hard to catch this person. Because it's someone threatening our family. No matter what that's unacceptable. I'll never, ever, let that happen. I would never forgive myself if I missed something again and you got hurt. I swear to you, you and the kids are my priority. Nothing else matters but keeping you four safe. and I'll do anything I have to, to ensure that happens. Okay?"

Linda nodded her head, "Okay. But you need to be safe too. You need to come home to us." Linda said.

"And I will. Once I catch this person. I'll come home to you and we'll take that short vacation we were talking about. Spend some time together. Just you and I and time as a family. All five of us. I promise. I'm coming home to you." Danny said. He heard her sniffle a bit, "Try to do me a favor. Okay?" 

"Okay." Linda agreed.

"Close your eyes." Danny smiled, "And just listen to my voice. Block everything out but me." He hoped this would work. He could hear the worry in her voice. The stress, the fear, "I love you Linda Reagan. So very much. You are my life, my love, my only, and that will never change. I will always choose you. I will always be by your side. I will always love you. No matter how angry we get with each other. No matter how much we argue. You will still be my one and only love. And I give you my word. I'll come home to you." He said softly, "I love you."

"I love you..." Linda yawned, "Love you more." She finished her sentence.

"Love you the most. Please try to get some sleep." Danny quietly said.

"Stay safe." Linda instructed as she started to fall asleep.

Danny smiled hearing the sleep in her voice, "Always for you." He stayed on the line until he heard Linda start to snore softly before disconnecting the call. He felt a little less guilty knowing she was safely sleeping. He knew the kids were okay. And he knew the sleep would help Linda feel better.

He looked over at his partner, "I have an idea." He said as she sat down with a breakfast sandwich and coffee from the cafe down the street.

"What's up?" Beaz asked.

"Why don't I become bait?" He said, "They're looking for me. So why don't I show up? We can have a team in position and we'll have the upper hand." He said.

"Run that by your wife to hear every reason it's a stupid plan." Beaz shook her head.

"Why is it stupid? It will work." Danny said.

Beaz's phone rang interrupting them, "And if something goes wrong what happens? Linda is left a single mom to three kids? No thanks. Not happening." She picked up her phone, "Beaz." She said, "Uh huh....great...thanks." She hung up, "Got something from the plates of the town car your guy left in last night. It's definitely Harrison Stanton. We got a warrant for his address. The credit card used to buy the phones was his. All the pictures and the texts came from one of those phones in his area. And witnesses confirm he was with Ricco last night at the club." She grabbed her sandwich and coffee, "Vest up. We're going in hot." She said.

Danny grabbed his gun and vest hoping this would be the break they needed. This would finally be the end of the living nightmare and his family would be safe.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Danny and Beaz drove to Harrison Stanton's house in relative quiet. Danny's thoughts on his family and the pain in his chest, Beaz on the task at hand. When they pulled up the tactical unit was waiting for them. Having the highest rank Danny was the point person.

"Alright. You two around back, you two watch the front, you on Beaz, you on me, every one else, we're going in B formation after we breach." He said looking over the house, "Let's go. No one gets hurt today. We are here to search the house and detain them until we complete the search. We have reason to believe there are weapons in the house but by no means is the use of deadly force what we are expecting. Understand?" A chorus of 'yes sir' went around. They quickly fell into place and stormed up the walk.

Danny pounded on the door, "Police, open up!" He heard scuffling and a woman's scream, "Police!" If Danny was standing just a few inches to the right he would have been hit as a shotgun blast blew through the front door, "Go! Go! Go!" The officer's rammed the door down and stormed into the house, "Police! Drop your weapon!" Danny took cover as another shot rang out towards him. Ricco was standing there holding the maid in one hand and a gun in the other.

"Not today! I'm not going back to prison! No way!" Ricco yelled.

"Give it up! You're surrounded!" Danny hollered back.

"I'd rather die than go back!" Ricco shot towards Danny again, this time barely missing Danny's shoulder, "What does it take for you to die, man?!"

"More than you got!" Danny fired back at him but Ricco ducked out of the way.

Ricco shot the maid in the head at point blank range. More shots from Danny and ESU shot towards him, "Yeah! Then face me like a man!"

"Drop your weapon and that can be arranged!" Danny fired at him.

"No way man! I aint goin to prison again!" Ricco shot towards Danny hitting his side.

Danny instantly fired back hitting Ricco in the chest before falling to the ground in pain. The officers around Danny moved in towards Ricco.

Beaz went straight to her partner, "I need a bus at this location forthwith. Officer down. I repeat shots fired, officer down!"

"I'm good. I'm fine. Caught it in the vest." Danny lifted his shirt to see the bullet embedded in the side of his vest, "I'm okay."

"You're getting seen by a paramedic." Beaz argued.

Danny tried to sit up more but coughed hard, "Yup. Okay." He relented feeling his chest constrict and burn more than it did before.

"The perp is DOA. But we caught this guy upstairs." One of the officers said half dragging Harrison Stanton down the stairs in handcuffs.

"Get him out of here." Beaz said as she sat with Danny. The ambulance sirens just outside the door. She stepped aside letting the paramedics look at Danny.

"I'm fine. Tell her I'm fine so I can go talk to this guy." Danny said.

"You're not fine detective." One of the paramedics stated.

Danny rolled his eyes, "If I promise to get seen later can I go talk to this guy?" He asked clearly annoyed.

"Yeah. Sure. But don't blame me when you can't breathe in an hour or so." The paramedic had Danny sign a refusal for medial treatment.

Danny stood with a little help from Beaz and walked back to their car, "You gonna call Linda?" Beaz asked.

"Thought about it. I'll call my dad. Let him handle her. We've got to talk to this guy and find out what's going on." Danny sat in the passenger seat not feeling well enough to drive back to the precinct.

* * *

When Linda woke up from her phone call with Danny she found a note on the nightstand beside her glasses. She slid her frames on to read it. It was from Frank. He said that after she got up, he needed to talk to her. They'd sent the boys to school with a protection detail and Grace was in the capable hands of her grandfather and great-grandfather. Linda got dressed and walked down the stairs to see Grace on the floor next to Frank. Henry sat in his chair with an amused smile on his face. It looked as if Frank was trying to teach Grace to crawl.

"See you put this hand first, then move your leg, then switch." Frank crawled around Grace, "Now you do it." He helped prop Grace up on her hands and knees and helped guide her limbs. Grace just giggled and babbled at her grandfather.

"How long has this lesson been going on?" Linda smiled.

"I don't get it. How can she be trying to pull up to stand and not know how to crawl?" Frank picked up the little girl and stood, "That's silliness." He smiled.

Linda took Grace from Frank, "Some babies skip crawling. Have you been a good girl?"

"The best." Frank smiled.

"You said you needed to talk to me?" She asked Frank.

"Yeah. Sit down." He led her to the couch. Frank sat beside her.

Linda looked at Frank, "Is Danny okay?"

"He's going to be fine." Frank smiled, "I promise. He's fine. He may have some trouble breathing but that's from the smoke. And he'll be fine."

"You've said that. Three times. It doesn't take a detective to know you're covering something up. What happened?" Linda asked.

"He also may have..." Frank started to say.

"May have or did?" Linda asked.

Frank looked at his daughter in law, "He took a bullet to the vest so he's got some bruising but he's..."

"Fine?" Henry asked.

"Where is he?" Linda asked preparing herself for a hospital name.

"Work. He's got a suspect in custody and is questioning them." Frank said.

Linda sighed, "So let me get this straight, he gets shot at, it hits his vest, he can't breathe properly and he's still working?" She asked, "Sound about right?"

"I told you he'd do something stupid but he'd come home." Frank tried to make Linda feel a bit better.

"Yeah." Linda nodded her head, "Did he find out what's going on?"

"That's what he's trying to find out now." Frank informed her.

Linda kissed Grace's cheek and held her close, "Okay. Then let's hope he figures it out."

* * *

Danny Reagan knew he had a temper. He could had been called hot headed, stubborn, irrational by just about every one at some point or another. But this guy in the box was pissing him off to a new level. As it turns out when Haily got pregnant her father begged her to abort the baby. When she refused saying she wanted to keep it he kicked her out of his house. She stayed with her 'boyfriend' until she gave birth but knew she was headed back to jail. So she left the baby out to die. She couldn't kill it herself but she figured the elements or starvation would do it. She never imagined a stranger finding her baby and bringing it into the hospital.

Her father had heard all about the unidentified baby when the story ran on the evening news. He started to search for her. He knew a few people in the baby business. When they priced her at thirty thousand dollars he knew he had to find her. Only problem was that without legal parents, and no one coming forward, after a certain time period she automatically became a ward of the state. Which is how Danny and Linda were able to legally adopt her. When Harrison found out he was furious. He couldn't lose out on that money. His daughter and her legal bills racked up a large amount of debt he owed to a lot of people. When she got out of prison he set his plan in motion. What he didn't account for was her Ricco's crazy scheme of cop killing as well as baby snatching. That was largely what screwed him over. Ricco wanting 'revenge' on the people he believed stole his kid.

Danny paced back and forth trying hard not to go in the box and punch Harrison Stanton. This was his grandchild and all he wanted was money. That's all she was worth to him. Now he and his daughter would be going to jail. No judge in their right mind would let them off the hook for attempted kidnapping, attempted murder, conspiracy, and the number of other crimes along the way. Danny watched as both Stanton's were taken down to lock up.

"They both turned on each other." Beaz said sitting down at her desk, "They blame each other and Ricco for it all. Apparently they both say they are innocent because they were manipulated by each other to do what they did." Beaz looked at Danny, "You listening to me?" She asked.

"Yeah." Danny nodded his head. His chest hurt more and more. It was almost as if it felt like it was on fire.

"You don't look so good. You should sit." She noted.

"I don't really feel so good." Danny did as he was told and sat down, "I think I need a doctor." He said as his chest tightened. He started gasping for air.

"Call a bus!" Beaz barely got to the other side of the desk before Danny's head hit the floor as he lost consciousness.

 

 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

Linda thought about how much she hated hospitals and the irony that she worked at one. Maybe it was because someone from the Reagan family seemed to have to visit one on a bi-weekly basis. She was sitting next to Danny's bed with his hand in hers. He was unconscious, had an IV with pain medication and fluids in his arm, as well as an oxygen mask. When he was brought in they did a chest xray and a bronchoscopy. He'd be sore for a while, need to rest, and need to take some time off work. Linda was determined to make sure he didn't walk out this time.

She put her head down on the bed and closed her eyes. The machines beeping softly, showing every vital sign. She felt his warm hand in hers as she sat there quietly waiting for him to wake up. The doctor had told her he could be out for two days but she knew Danny. He'd fight to wake up as soon as he could just to prove the doctor wrong. So after promising Jack and Sean that their father would be fine, she sent them home with Erin, Nicky, Grace and Henry. Jamie and Frank stayed behind to keep Linda company and make sure Danny really was okay.

Danny's hand twitched in Linda's, "Linda?" Danny muttered not knowing quite what was going on. He opened his eyes to see his wife smiling at him.

"Hey there." She grinned.

Danny went to move his hand that wasn't in hers but found it handcuffed to the bed rail, "What?" He asked.

"Oh I'm making sure you don't leave. I have the key but you seem to think you're invincible so I'm not allowing you to leave." She moved from the chair to the side of his bed keeping a firm grasp on his free hand.

Danny looked at her, then the handcuffs again, then around the room at the monitors and medical equipment surrounding him, "Okay."

Linda smiled, "I'm glad you're awake." Her eyes shined with unshead tears.

Danny tugged on her with his free hand until she laid down with her head on his chest, "I'm okay. It's all over now. I fixed it."

Linda felt a tear fall, "You were shot." She said.

"In the vest." He reminded her.

"You were blown up." She felt his arm wrap around her.

"And all we have to do is replace the car, and Garce's car seat." He held her tight.

"You almost died because you were stupid and did't get seen by a doctor like you should have been." She sighed.

"But I didn't die. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." Danny said.

"Promise?" Linda asked meekly.

"I promise. Do you trust me?" He asked her.

"Yes. I trust you. Every part of me trusts you. My heart, my brain, my soul. I trust the man I married. The man I love." She smiled up at him.

"Good." Danny kissed Linda sweetly, "Are you okay?"

Linda nodded her head, "I think I'm okay. I'm better now that you are awake." She said.

"And the kids?" He asked.

"Are okay. They're home with Erin and Henry." She said, "All of them."

"Good." Danny nodded his head.

"So you going to tell me about what went on?" She asked, "Maria was going to tell me but told me I should wait for you to wake up before unloading that on top too." Linda said.

"How about I talk about how beautiful my wife is and how lucky I am?" Danny said not wanting to talk about the case.

"Danny." Linda whispered.

"Okay. But I promise you everything is fine. Before I start. Everything is fine and taken care of" Danny proceeded to go through all the details of the case. He held Linda as close as he could with one arm while she cried and listened to everything he told her. When he was done he was running his fingers up and down the side of her arm while she clung to him.

"Who could possibly do something like that? Who even  _thinks_ of that? Stealing and selling a baby?" Linda gasped, "I can't even fathom it." She said in disbelief.

"There's a lot of twisted people out there." Danny said, "I'm just grateful we were able to catch them before they got to you and Grace. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to my girls." 

"You do an amazing job of keeping us and the boys safe. I have no doubt you'll always keep us safe." Linda said. She leaned up to kiss Danny properly for the first time in what felt like years but really had only been since their big fight.

Danny went to pull her closer but grumbled when his hand wouldn't move far from the bed rail, "If I promise not to move off this bed will you take that cuff off?" He asked his wife.

Linda smiled, "You have to promise to let the doctor treat you and to do what they say and to leave the IV in and everything else."

"I promise I'll do whatever the doctor tells me to do. And I'll listen to my strict nurse too." He lightly teased her.

Linda rolled her eyes, "Okay." She pulled the key from her pocket and unlocked the cuff around his wrist. The moment he was free Danny wrapped his arms around her pulling her down to him not letting his lips leave hers until the need to breathe broke them apart, "I feel like I missed you." She rested her forehead against his.

"Me too. I'm sorry. For everything. I'm so sorry Linda." Danny said honestly.

Linda shook her head, "No. I'm the one that should apologize. I never should have doubted you. Not in any lifetime could you really be unfaithful. I'm sorry I ever thought otherwise." Danny shifted a bit and tucked his wife in bed beside him, "I love you so much Danny."

"I love you more." He grinned.

"I love you the most." She smiled wide, "I should go let Frank and Jamie know you're awake." She said not wanting to leave.

"Is Dad mad at me?" Danny asked.

Linda nodded her head "Yeah. He's pretty ticked off. He said it was stupid and irresponsible but that he'd do the same thing." 

Danny smiled, "Five more minutes. They can wait five more minutes." 

Linda agreed, "Five more minutes." She was elated that Danny would be okay. And the time off work would do him good. It would force him to recuperate and it would be nice to have him home after having fought with each other so strongly.

When their five minutes was up Linda walked out to the waiting room where Jamie and Frank sat, "He's awake. He's okay. He's a little horse but he's doing okay. He promised to not leave the bed and listen to the doctors and me." She smiled, "He wants you for a few minutes Frank." She said sitting across from Jamie.

"Good. I'm glad to hear that. I'll call the family." Jamie said.

"Are you okay?" Frank asked Linda.

"If he's okay, I'm okay." She stated.

Frank nodded his head and went to go see his son. 

"Hi Dad." Danny said seeing his father walk through his door, "So, let me have it. I know you're not happy with me."

"As PC or as your father?" Frank pulled up a chair beside Danny. Danny looked questioningly at Frank, "Well as PC I think it was stupid of you to go out into the field not feeling well after you were involved with a car bomb. I think it was risky and put your partner and every other officer at risk. If I was your Sargent I'd bench you for being so stupid." Frank said sternly, "But as your father, I still think it was stupid. But it's something stupid I would have done too. Because in this family, family comes first. No matter what. I'd have done the same thing. brushed it off and kept going. I wouldn't have quit until I found the guy responsible or Hell froze over. Whichever came first. But if you leave Linda with three kids to raise on her own because you go off being some type of cowboy she will never be able to live with it. So you better remember you have a family at home before you charge into something that you don't know if you'll make it out of." Frank said to him, "You're on paid leave until you're cleared for active duty again and you better not push yourself. I'll use Linda to my full advantage if I think you're saying you're fine when you're not." 

"Yes Sir." Danny nodded his head.

"And Danny." Frank waited until Danny looked at him, "I don't want to have to do this again. I'm not going to bury another son or watch Linda bury her husband."

"Yes Sir." 

"I'm proud of you. You did whatever it took to keep your family safe. And no matter what, that's one of the most important things you could ever do." Frank said to his son.

Out in the waiting room Linda was on the phone with Jack. She promised he could skip school the following day to see his father but tried to reason with him that tonight wasn't the night. She finally relented when Jack started begging her to come. He just wanted to make sure his dad was okay. He wanted to see him with his own eyes.

Jamie said he'd swing by the house to get Jack and then bring him home for the night. Linda walked back into Danny's hospital room to see him and Frank still talking.

"Am I interrupting or can I stay?" She asked.

"C'mere." Danny patted the bed beside him. 

Linda walked over and sat down, "Jamie went to pick up Jack. He just wants to see you for a few minutes. I told him he could come back tomorrow and skip school for the day." Linda said.

"This scared him?" Danny asked.

"I think more than he even thinks it did." She nodded her head.

"Jacks a tough kid. He'll be fine. Just needs to see his old man to be sure." Frank smiled, "I'm sure he doesn't want to be treated like a kid so he's trying to act more adult than he is about this."

"He's a lot like his father." Linda smiled.

"I have it on good word that you love his father." Danny smirked.

"That I do." Linda grinned wider.

A short while later there was a light knock at the door. Jamie stood in the door way with Jack at his side.

"Dad?" Jack said quietly.

"Hey kid. C'mon in here. It's okay. I'm okay. I know it's a lot of stuff going on but I'm going to be fine." Danny smiled at his eldest child.

Jack nodded his head and slowly walked into the room. He took his Grandfathers seat when Frank got up.

"Jack, I'm okay." Linda moved to the other side of the bed so she could hug her son, "I promise. Dad's going to be just fine."

"What's wrong with you?" Jack asked.

Linda squeezed Jack's hand, "He inhaled a lot of smoke. So his lungs were burned. It makes it hard to breathe. And because it took a while to get treated he had a hard time breathing and collapsed. But Detective Beaz called an ambulance quickly and did CPR so your Dad was okay till the paramedics got there. The doctors did some tests and said Dad's got to stay here for a few days and take a few weeks off work. No rough housing or sports either." She smiled, "But he's going to be fine. He just needs rest and to heal up. His throat is a little burned so he sounds like he's got a cold and a horse voice but it should go away in a week or so." She told him the basics about Danny's condition.

"You're not going to die. Right?" Jack worried.

"No. No Jack. Not at all." Danny tried to sit up to hug his son, "I'm going to be just fine. Like your mother said, I just need some rest." Danny hugged Jack tight, "No one is going to die. I promise you."

Jack nodded his head, "Okay." 

"Jack why don't you say goodnight and I'll bring you back in the morning." Frank suggested.

"Okay." Jack hugged his mother then his father again, "Night."

"Night Jack. Get some sleep and I'll call you out of school in the morning." Linda said to him.

"Okay Mom." With one more hug and kiss for each parent Jack left with his uncle and grandfather leaving Danny and Linda alone.

Linda lay down beside Danny again, "He's so worried about you. About his hero." She said.

"I wish he didn't have to experience any of this." Danny frowned.

"Yeah but he's taking it all in stride and with maturity." She said trying to look on the bright side, "He shouldn't have to but he does have to so he might as well learn how to react and take this type of news." She explained.

"True." Danny agreed.

The two lay in the small bed for the rest of the night. Neither one willing to be apart from the other for longer than necessary.


	10. Chapter 10

After a little over a week in the hospital Danny was finally released. He was happy to be home with his wife and kids however, he was instructed to sit home and relax for a minimum of four weeks. Linda knew there was no way Danny would stay home willingly. He couldn't just sit and relax. So she tried to find things around the house for him to do. Small chores that wouldn't be hard but would keep him occupied. She didn't want him to overexert himself but she knew he needed to stay busy.

During the first two weeks home he'd fixed the water heater, with a little help from Jack who carried the replacement parts down to the basement then back up again so Danny didn't have to lift them. He'd checked the oil, tire pressure and fluids in Linda's car. They'd shopped around for a new car with the insurance money from the old one. She'd kept him busy with smaller things like laundry, dishes, cleaning. She'd left Grace home instead of taking her to daycare when she had to work so Danny wouldn't be home alone all day. Plus the father/daughter quality time was good for both of them. He'd helped Jack with an essay he had to write for the end of school and Sean with an algebra assignment for his end of year exam. He'd found himself spending the day with Henry when he'd run out of things to do at the house.

Once the start of the third week hit Linda could tell he was itching to go back to work. 

"Danny you can't go back yet. Two more weeks." Linda said that evening while she cleaned up dinner dishes. The kids were in bed asleep and the kitchen was still a mess from dinner.

Danny sat at the table nursing a beer, "Linda, I'm fine. The doc was probably just being over cautious. I'm okay." 

"Go run up and down the stairs a few times and let me know how you feel when you're done." She smiled knowingly.

"I can walk up and down them and not get winded." He protested.

"Key word there Danny is _walk_." She put the last cup in the dishwasher, "Besides. You get all this time with Grace and the boys last day of school is this week so they'll be home too."

"I can't stay home anymore, Linda." Danny sighed.

Linda walked over to the table and sat on Danny's lap, "I know it's hard. And I'm sorry. But I don't want you to get hurt. You need to stay home and rest and heal up before you go back to chasing bad guys again. Think of it like a vacation."

Danny put his arm around Linda's waist, "Vacation is supposed to be fun. As much as I love spending time with Grace and being home when you are home and when the boys are home, I need to work."

Linda sighed, "Danny. Please don't push yourself."

"I won't. I'll be careful and I won't work long hours." He kissed her lips.

She sighed, "Look. What if you go back part-time for a few weeks? Just do some paperwork and sit at your desk? Then you're not running around and going to hurt yourself and you're also not puling long shifts. Can we at least compromise to that?" She asked. She didn't want him to push himself because he was being stubborn.

"This was an easier argument than I thought it was going to be." He teased her.

"We both know it's a losing argument. You're going to go to work whether I like it or not. So I might as well make my terms before you go jump into the deep end." Linda fiddled with his shirt.

Danny kissed her slowly, "I'll stay at my desk. You can even pull out those handcuffs you got your hands on and chain me to it if it makes you feel better. Speaking of those, who gave you a pair of handcuffs?" 

"I'll never tell." She laughed.

"Jamie?" Danny asked.

Linda shook her head, "I was sworn to secrecy." She smiled.

"Oh I'll find out." Danny took his hand that was wrapped around the cold beer bottle and slid it under the back of her shirt causing her to yelp at the cold sensation.

"Danny! That's cold!" She laughed loudly.

He playfully pinched her side, "I told you I have my ways. I'll get it out of you." He smiled wide.

"Yeah but that's if you can catch me. I can run faster than you at the moment." Linda wiggled her way out of his grasp. Danny got up and chased her up the stairs grabbing her around the waist and pulling her to him, "The doctor said you can't overexert yourself." Linda was laughing so hard her cheeks were red and tears were in her eyes.

"Yeah well, I'll just tell him I had a cardio workout." Danny gently led her to their room.

Linda had to cover her mouth to keep from waking the kids with her laughter. When she tilted her head Danny took full advantage of being able to kiss her neck, "I don't know if this qualifies as a workout." She giggled.

"Let's find out." He said kicking the door shut behind him.

* * *

The following morning Linda watched Danny get ready for work, "You sure you feel fine?" She said as she lay in bed still. Grace had woken up with a low fever in the middle of the night. Linda was sure it was probably just from teething but Grace wouldn't fall back asleep so Linda put her in bed with her and Danny so they could all get some rest.

Danny smiled at his wife as he buttoned his shirt, "I'm fine. I'll be home before dinner." Danny put on his shield on his belt and secured his gun in it's holster. Linda smiled watching him get dressed for work. Linda yawned. She'd been up and down with Grace most of the night. Even after they put Grace between them in bed she kept Linda awake. Danny sat on the edge of the bed next to Linda, "I'll get the boys off to school so you can hopefully get some sleep before she wakes back up." Danny leaned down and kissed his wife.

"How does your chest feel?" She asked him.

"I'm okay. I'll come home if I'm not feeling well. And I promise to be home before dinner." He kissed her again. Grace started to stir softly. Danny patted her back for a few moments hoping she'd stay asleep so Linda could rest for a little while this morning.

"Okay." Linda nodded her head.

"Love you." He grinned.

"You too." Linda watched her husband carefully slip out of their bedroom hoping Grace wouldn't wake up.

After a quick nap that morning Linda got up with Grace who stayed cranky most of the day. Erin had called wanting to talk to Linda about the case against the Stanton's. She needed some more information before the court date.

"Do you think it's going to be a big trial? I'd like to keep the kids out of it as much as I can." Linda said to Erin.

"Me too. I'm hoping that because they both are throwing the other one under the bus it will be a quick thing. I can't imagine with all the evidence stacked against them both that any judge would let the case get dragged out." Erin said, "How's Danny doing?"

"He's back at work. Desk duty but working." Linda sighed.

"I was surprised he stayed he for as long as he did." Erin chuckled.

Linda grinned, "I ran out of things to have him do around the house." Linda tried to put Grace in the jumper but she wasn't having any of it, "I tried to convince him that being home with the boys and Grace would be great once they are out of school later this week."

"I'm surprised he wasn't ready to go back on day two." Erin grinned.

"Oh he was. I made him walk up the stairs and tell me how he felt. When he was winded halfway up he rolled his eyes and went to bed to read for a while." Linda picked a fussy Grace back up and held her on  her hip.

"So he's on desk duty right?" Erin asked wondering why she seeing her brother walking into her office.

"Yeah. He said he'd stay at his desk and do paperwork today. And that he'd be home for dinner. Why?" Linda asked.

"Hold on a second." Erin handed Danny the phone.

"Who is it?" He asked quietly.

"Just say hello." Erin pushed it towards him.

"Reagan." He said not knowing it was his wife.

"I should have taken those handcuffs out if I thought you were going to leave your desk." Linda's annoyed voice filtered through the phone.

"I just came to drop some paperwork off. I'm not doing anything other than handing my sister some paperwork. I promise. I'm not pushing myself." Danny smiled, "I promised. I'm not pushing myself at all."

Linda sighed, "Tell your sister I'll talk to her later. See you for dinner?" 

"I'll be home." Danny hung up the phone with a smile, "Trying to get me in trouble?" He asked his sister.

Erin smiled, "Trying to make sure you do as your doctor tells you to."

* * *

Later that night Linda was just finishing cooking dinner when Danny walked through the door.

"Hey boys. Hi ladybug." He kissed each of his kids on the head. Jack was holding Grace while all three kids sat on the couch watching TV. Danny walked into the kitchen where his wife was stirring a pot over the stove, "Hello gorgeous." He kissed her cheek.

"Flattery so I don't get mad at you for running around the city today?" She asked.

"I can't just tell my wife how beautiful she is?" Danny grabbed a beer from the fridge.

Linda snickered, "How do you feel?" She asked.

"I'm fine. Tired but that's okay. I stayed at the precinct and did paperwork. I just had to drop some stuff off with Erin then I went right back to my desk." He smiled, "Dinner smells good." He took a spoon to taste.

Linda swatted his hand away, "That's where the boys get it from. Now shoo." Linda said.

"Just a taste?" He asked.

"I take it back. You're worse than the boys." She carefully took a spoonful of sauce and handed it to Danny to taste, "Good?" 

"Delicious." He smiled. Danny leaned back against the counter, "How was your day with Grace?"

"Well she won't let anyone put her down. She fussed most of the day." Linda said, "But it was good."

Danny sipped the beer, "I'm glad you two had a good day." Danny watched his wife cook while their kids spent time together. He was happy to be able to spend this time with his family. After everything they'd been through lately he felt they deserved a much needed break. Their anniversary was coming up in just seven weeks. Maybe he'd plan something special for the two of them. It would be the nineteenth year they'd been married. Granted next year would be twenty years but seeing as how this last year brought so much turmoil for him and Linda, Danny felt this year deserved something more than their usual celebration.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

A few weeks after Danny was cleared for full duty he and Linda were preparing to head to the court house. They were there to testify against the Stanton's for everything they tried to do to them. Both Stanton's were blaming the other one for everything, even though the evidence said otherwise.

Linda had been worried about appearing in court. She didn't want to live through everything all over again. She hated that she ever doubted Danny. She still felt guilty for being the reason he was in his car when he was. If he wasn't rushing home to her maybe he would have noticed something 'off' before he put the key in.

Linda's hands shook as she tried to clasp her chain around her neck. She sighed loudly when the clasp slipped from her hand.

"Let me." Danny came up behind his wife and put the necklace on her, "It's okay." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

Linda nodded her head, "Danny these people tried to blow you up. And hatched a plan to kidnap our daughter." Linda held onto his arm.

"They are in custody. They can't hurt me. Or you. Or any of the kids." Danny said softly.

"Yeah." She still felt nervous.

"You're going to be fine." Danny tried to calm his wife.

"I'm more worried about you." Linda said honestly.

Danny kissed his wife's cheek, "I'll be okay."

Linda checked the time on her watch, "We should get going. We don't want to be late." She turned around and adjusted Danny's tie, "There." She smiled.

Danny checked to be sure he had everything he needed before walking downstairs behind his wife.

* * *

 

 Walking into the court house made Linda's heart jump. She held Danny's hand tightly as they took their seats. He put his arm around the back of her chair when he saw the Stanton's walk into the court room.

"I'm okay." He said softly to Linda.

Linda nodded her head. As the trial proceeded it was Linda's turn to take the stand.

She walked up to the witness chair and took her oath of honesty.

"Mrs. Reagan. Can you tell me in your own words what your first contact with the defendants?" Erin asked. As important as this case was she wasn't handing it off to anyone. She was going to be the one to put these two away for as long as possible. They attempted to kill her brother and wanted to steal her niece. Erin wasn't letting them get away with anything.

"I got a few text messages with pictures of my husband with another woman. The texts made it sound as if he was cheating on me. Then I found out Haily was sending letters to our house." Linda recalled.

"I'd like to present the court with Exhibit A. Text and photos sent to Mrs. Reagan from a phone the defendant purchased then the other defendant used to send pictures and texts." Erin held up the file. She finished up her questioning with Linda who was then cross examined by the Stanton's attorney. The Stanton's attorney had slicked back hair filled with grease, obviously well paid judging by his suit. He used every trick he could to weasel his clients off or down to a lesser sentence. Linda didn't like the look of him. To her he seemed like a guy that didn't stop trying to ask a woman at a bar for a drink even after she said no over and over again. Her stomach knotted up just seeing him walk towards her.

"Mrs. Reagan. Is it true that you were once kidnapped, held against your will and almost died as a result of that kidnapping?" He asked.

"Your Honor!" Erin stood up before Linda could reply, "That has no bearing on this case."

"I promise, I have a point your Honor." The sleazy lawyer said.

"Make it quickly." The judge said wanting to see where the Stanton's lawyer was going.

"Again, Mrs. Reagan is that true? Did that happen?" He asked.

Linda took a deep breath, "Yes." She said.

"And what was the end result? Did the person who took you go to jail?" He asked.

"No." She didn't like where this was going.

"Why is that?" He asked already knowing the answer.

"He was killed." She said into the microphone.

"By who?" The lawyer walked back and forth.

"Detective Reagan shot him during an altercation." She said.

"Which you were being held by the man who kidnapped you. Your husband shot and killed him." The lawyer clarified for the court.

"Yes but the rest of the NYPD task force working the case was there as well. It's not like you make it sound. It wasn't just Detective Reagan, that psychopath and I. There's more to it..." She tried to say.

"So your husband shot and killed the man that was holding you hostage. Was that the first time your lives have been in danger from Detective Reagan's job?" He cut her off.

Linda looked over at Danny, "His job doesn't put his family in danger. If anything, it's his job that keeps us safe." She said.

"But because of his job don't you agree he can be overprotective?" The lawyer asked her.

"I wouldn't say that." Linda shook her head.

"Okay so at least protective." The lawyer changed his words.

"All husband's should protect their wife and children." Linda retaliated.

The lawyer held up the letters sent by Haily, "Don't you think he went a little overboard with these letters? After all they are just letters. Nothing else. Maybe he has some type of hero complex where having his family in danger makes him feel much more important?" Linda tried to speak but was cut off again, "In fact. Isn't it true that neighbors on your block routinely see radio cars drive by or sit on your house? How many times in the last year would you say you've had officers outside your house while your husband chased a criminal?"

"I don't really keep track." Linda said.

"Well is it more like twice, ten times, once a month?" He asked.

"I'm really not sure." She said honestly.

"I find it interesting to believe that a cops wife doesn't know when she's being watched by police." He picked up another piece of paper, "How reliable of a person are you if you don't even notice when you're being watched. What about your marriage? Hows that between you two?"

"Your Honor I fail to see how this line of questioning is relevant." Erin objected again.

"I'm inclined to agree with ADA Reagan. Get to the point or be done." The judge said.

"Yes your Honor. Mrs. Reagan, isn't it true that your husband and you are having marital problems? That he could have fabricated this whole elaborate scheme to fix those problems?" The lawyer asked.

"No. Never. Danny would never do that." Linda protested.

"But it could be possible. He had assess to everything, he's a police officer, he's the one that supposedly found the letter the first time." The lawyer just needed to put doubt in the jury's mind about his clients any way possible.

"No. That's not what happened." Linda tried to say.

"I'm all done. Thank you Mrs. Reagan." The lawyer dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

Linda got off the stand with a sigh. She sat beside Danny who put his arm around her back and rubbed it up and down. He knew the lawyer was being a jerk. Linda didn't deserve those questions. Danny was called to the stand next. After Erin asked him a few questions it was his turn with the Stanton's lawyer.

"Mr. Reagan..." He started.

"Detective." Danny interrupted him.

"Detective Reagan." The lawyer cleared his throat, "Do you have an anger problem?"

"No." Danny said, "I don't."

"Then why do you have so many citations and marks on your record?" He asked.

"Your Honor!" Erin stood up.

"You're treading on thin ice here." The judge said.

"I apologize your honor but the jury should see what kind of people the Reagan's really are. It's their responsibility to make sure my clients are fairly tried and not manipulated by the Reagan's." The lawyer said, "After all, Mrs. Stanton has a mental health disorder that prevented her from understanding what giving her child away meant."

"Giving her away!?" Danny said outraged, "She left a baby out to die!"

"Because she didn't understand what she was doing. Just like she took Detective Reagan's advances as him being willing to talk to her about giving the child back." The lawyer tried to weasel his way around by throwing doubt around.

"Your Honor this is ridiculous!" Erin objected.

"I'm going to have to agree with Mrs. Reagan. I'm letting the witness off the stand unless you have a question for him that pertains to this case." The judge said clearly annoyed with the scumbag lawyer.

"No your Honor. No further questions." He relented.

"The witness may step down now." The judge let Danny go back to his seat. 

Linda took Danny's hand in his wishing this would end. Through the rest of the trial Danny and Linda had to sit while the Stanton's layer tried to prove the Stanton's were innocent. That this was a misunderstanding blown out of proportion. Ultimately the jury came back with a guilty verdict for both of them. They'd serve the maximum sentence for conspiracy to kidnap, attempted murder, as well as a number of other crimes committed in the process of their scheme. Linda felt a weight lift as she watched them each walk away in handcuffs. Danny hugged her tight, kissing her forehead, "It's over." He said softly.

Linda nodded her head, "Finally." She smiled, "Thank you Erin." 

Erin smiled, "I don't think they quite knew who they were messing with."

"Me either." Danny said.

"So what now?" Linda asked.

"Now we go home to our kids." Danny grinned, "We go home and be thankful that this is over." Danny held his wife close as they walked out of the court house.

"Okay." Linda said softly.

* * *

A few days after court Danny was working a double homicide that kept him from coming home at any reasonable hour. Linda was working a few extra shifts to make up for the ones she took off when Danny was in the hospital. The boys were spending as much time with friends over the summer as they could and with Nicky home for the summer, she was happy to watch Grace at night so she didn't have to sleep at daycare in the hospital. Danny had become accustomed to walking into the house extra quietly knowing his niece was asleep on the couch, while Linda worked a late shift.

One late night he came home to find a bottle of wine in the recycling bin and surprisingly his sister asleep on the couch. Danny assumed she must have come over to hang out with Linda and had one glass too many. Danny covered her up with the light blanket that was thrown on the back of the couch. Erin started to wake up hearing someone moving around.

"Go to sleep. It's just me. And do me a favor. If you wake up later and think about driving home, don't." He said just before he quietly walked up stairs.

Danny checked on his kids starting with Jack and Sean. Both had friends asleep in sleeping bags on the floor of their room. Danny remembered since it was Friday night and they'd been bugging him and Linda, Linda had agreed they could have friends sleep over. Danny shut the door to his boys room before checking in on Grace. She was sound asleep in her crib, sucking on one pacifier with another gripped tightly in her hand. Danny watched her sleep for a few moments before going to his bedroom.

"You're awake." He said softly. It was really late. He didn't think Linda was waiting up for him.

Linda smiled, "I couldn't sleep." She put the book she was absentmindedly reading down, "I didn't realize how late it was." She looked at the clock, "How was work?" She asked.

"Got a perp in custody but he lawyer-ed up pretty quick. So we're going to let him sweat it out overnight and start fresh in the morning." Danny started to take off his gun, shield and belt. Danny took off his shirt and pants dropping them on the floor of the bedroom.

"You know about three feet into the bathroom, there's a hamper for that." Linda pointed to their bathroom.

Danny sighed but picked up his dirty clothes and put them in the laundry hamper, "How was your night?" He asked grabbing a tank top and pants from the dresser.

"Good. The boys have friends over, Erin came over and decided to stay for the night. She brought a bottle of wine that we finished off together." Linda said, "Grace stood. Holding on to the coffee table. She stood and let go. For all of five seconds but she's getting there." 

"That's great. She's getting so big." Danny slid into bed beside his wife.

"I know and in September Jack's going to be a senior. He graduates next year." Linda said, "It's too fast." 

"We could just keep making them and then it won't really end." Danny grinned.

"I think we're good with the three we have." Linda smiled.

"Oh c'mon I talked you into the third. I could do it for a fourth." He laughed.

"You're insane." Linda put her book down and took off her glasses.

"Crazy for you." Danny beamed.

Linda kissed him, "That was so cheesy."

"You love it." He pulled her close.

Linda grabbed an envelope from her nightstand, "Here." She smiled.

Danny took it from her, "What's this?" 

"Open it." She insisted.

Danny did as he was told. He got even more confused when it was a happy anniversary card, "I think you're a bit early Babe." 

"No. Yes, but no. Just read the card." She sighed. Linda had felt the stress of everything lately. So she talked to her therapist who suggested a family get away where Linda and Danny could also break away and get some alone time. After a little sneaking around and talking to the rest of the Reagan's, Linda came up with an idea. Her and Danny's anniversary was coming up. And while it was still a few weeks away, what better time to go on a summer vacation. Henry had a friend who had a beach house right on the water. He'd agreed to let Linda, Danny and the kids use it for a two week family vacation. Linda had booked the following weekend for her and Danny alone at a hotel in the city. Just the two of them to celebrate nineteen years of marriage. Linda figured they could use a break. As far as she was concerned, Danny still should be on medical leave but he was cleared by the doctors, just not his wife. She had enough paid vacation time she could take, as did Danny. She waited eagerly for him to read the insert in the card she wrote explaining her early present.

"We're all going on vacation?" He smiled at her, "And a dirty weekend in the city for us?" 

Linda nodded her head, "We have the money to do it, plus the vacation time, and I think we all can use a little breather. It's the last school summer for Jack. It's the first summer with Grace. Sean just keeps getting bigger and older. You and I need the time together. I know it's going to mean missing a couple Sunday dinner's but I really think we need the time together. The kids are getting bigger and I want to make sure Jack still wants to come home from school like Nicky does. I want Grace to have memories of time with her brothers even though there's an age gap. I want Sean to know how important family is. I want to have time, all five of us, just being together." Linda said unsure of how Danny would react. She knew he could be stubborn when it came to his family's involvement and theirs. But she really felt this was a good thing for the five of them.

"That sounds great." Danny kissed her cheek, "I think some time off and away will do all of us good. Even Grace."

Linda looked up at Danny, "Yeah?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. It will be fun." Danny said, "And then you and I can get a weekend alone while the kids spend time with their grandfather and great-grandfather."

"So is it okay that's it's an early gift?" She rested her head on his shoulder.

"Of course. This is a wonderful gift. Thank you." Danny shifted them both a bit, "Now you just have to wait in anticipation of what I got you." 

"I can wait. I'm patient." She put her head on his chest, letting his heartbeat lull her to sleep.

"I'm lucky." Danny ran his hand up and down her back gently.

"I think we're both lucky." She said, "Because I have you and you have me."

"Always." Danny kissed the top of her head.

Linda looked up at him, "I love you Danny Reagan." She said sincerely.

Danny smiled, kissed his wife again, "I love you Mrs. Linda Reagan."

Linda lay in bed wrapped in her husband's arms, thinking how much her life hadn't gone according to plan. She never planned on half of the amazing things that happened to her. But she wouldn't change any of them. Even the bad events. If it wasn't for the battles she'd fought with Danny by her side, she doubted she'd be so in love with him still. After so long of being together, Linda still woke up every day thankful she was married to Danny Reagan. Her heart still skipped a beat when he turned and smiled at her. Or flirted with her. She still blushed when he kissed her. She still melted when he touched her. So maybe things didn't turn out the way she'd imagined many years ago. However, the alterations to her plan only made her life that much more full and more wonderful than she could have ever imagined.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there will totally be another one soon. :) Hope you all enjoyed this. :) Thanks so much for the reviews! You are all so amazing and wonderful!!!


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